Fire rescue services have a growing emphasis on limited budgets, resulting in a need to achieve greater efficiencies – do more with less. This may sound familiar but are these perceived cost cuttings and procurement decisions actually delivering best value?

Low cost solutions may on paper seem appropriate but more often than not they turn out to be a false economy, resulting in poor performance and a route to unforeseen risks and dangers. Cost of ownership may increase and ultimately lead to rejection by the users who lose trust in the equipment that is supposed to help protect them.

So, how can this be avoided?
To mitigate risk, high quality and dependable communications are vital. Firefighters have their own unique communications requirements, not only for their own safety and the successful outcome of their mission, but for the safety of the public they serve.

Arguably firefighters face the harshest challenges invariably operating in the most hostile and punishing environments. Often the work is very physically demanding and extremely stressful. Firefighters often experience exhausting heat in hazardous conditions while working in low to zero visibility. Such conditions shouldn’t be underestimated especially with the threat to their well-being.

Why is fire rescue such a challenging environment for radio communications and how can they be resolved?
The combination of extreme conditions and coping with the necessary PPE kit, such as fire protection suits, heavy boots, thick protective gloves, breathing masks, helmets and heavy air tanks can make a firefighter’s task daunting.

This makes for a very challenging environment for effective communications. Throughout the years, analog radios have attempted to address these issues and some question the performance of Breathing Apparatus Respiratory Interface Equipment (BARIE). The evolution of purpose designed, digital solutions (radios, accessories, biometric monitoring and communications infrastructure) have driven significant improvements in firefighter performance and safety.

The key to resilient and safe communications is providing reliable coverage, audio that is intelligible and knowing that your radio and connected accessories have been optimized together – along with any supporting radio infrastructure installed in complex building structures to provide essential coverage.

In the interest of safety, this combination must be tested and proven to avoid issues commonly found in legacy configurations.

Equipment deployed on an ad hoc basis can often result in poor/unintelligible audio, along with susceptibility to interference and distorted transmissions. These may even generate spurious radiated emissions, blocking other life critical transmission, points that the procurement and supply chain may not even consider! Fortunately, new regulatory compliance RED (Radio Equipment Directive 2014/53/EU) attempts to address this issue.

Breathing apparatus teams, incident communications and command vehicles require enhanced unified communications that converge technology. Future solutions will use digital communications including narrowband Digital Mobile Radio (DMR), Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and LTE – all elements of a solution that will ultimately monitor the safety and predict the well-being of firefighters. We call this solution Tait Unified Vehicle.

Vehicle-Area-Network and firefighter biometrics
Creating a standards-based network of networks, this vehicle-area-network travels with users, providing connectivity via whatever carrier is available to ensure that urgent calls always get through.

Users at the command center can effectively monitor the remote fireground communications. Teams on the fireground can connect mobile devices like tablets or laptops by Wi-Fi to access critical information over LTE networks. Officers can connect Bluetooth headsets for easy, hands free communication. It’s the ideal platform to maintain reliable real time voice communications required between command centers and the fireground and to connect both the safety systems used today and enable those coming in the future, including firefighter biometrics.

These are some of the critical considerations we strive to resolve – we work with our customers to understand their needs then design solutions that deliver the communications and provide the support services required to resolve these complex issues.

Enhancing firefighter safety and coverage
Radio communication coverage brings its own set of challenges, requiring specialist RF engineering knowledge, an area of expertise for Tait Communications given our extensive experience spanning five decades.

This means they can be subjected to high temperatures, immersed in liquids, subjected to thermal shock, low temperatures, humidity, rain, sand and dust, physical shock, salt fog, low pressure and solar radiation – this makes them Tait Tough and ideal for fire rescue.

Tait Communications has developed its latest ATEX intrinsically safe radio models to match these requirements for maximum transmit power of 4 Watts in UHF for certain hazardous gas atmospheres requiring IIA rating.

This means a quadrupling of transmit power compared to IIC.

With IP67 ingress protection, 4 watts of Tx power and industry leading receiver performance it’s an ideal ATEX solution for fire ground incident use enhancing usable range and firefighter safety.

What are the procurement and regulatory compliance challenges?Fireground communications is more than just a group of radios, it’s an optimized solution that is needed and should be demanded by all FRSs.

Procurement teams must remember the need for both ATEX certification and compliance with the international ETSI (European Telecommunications Standards Institute)-defined standards under the RED (that set the minimum requirements to ensure solutions’ safety and compatibility) at a system level – the radio plus any accessories connected directly to it.

RED is intended to limit interference caused by incompatible radios and accessories. It is essential that life safety solutions integrate the radio and accessory correctly, while providing connectivity and access to any extended communication system and are available when they are needed most.

Optimizing speech intelligibility
Migration to digital can bring significant advantages, such as increased channel efficiency and capacity. But for BARIE and FRSs the priority is “clear and intelligible audio”. It cannot be over-emphasized that the radio & accessory solution needs to be properly integrated with BARIE kit, after all it’s the “firefighters’ lifeline”.

The need to hear and be heard especially when wearing a helmet and breathing mask is critical. At Tait we collaborate with safety equipment manufacturers such as Dräger Safety and others to integrate a radio and accessory solutions with these secondary audio accessories.

The specialist service Tait provides is to assist with the most challenging issue expressed by many FRSs: optimizing the whole system to ensure there are no surprises when it is put into service. You can’t just buy a radio and connect another manufacturer’s accessory and expect it to work properly – it’s not that simple!

How can we address the challenges of BARIE?Tait Communications collaborates with specialist accessory suppliers such as Savox, which has advanced Remote Speaker Microphones (RSM) with exceptional omni-directional performance, which enhances speech intelligibility. This combination makes it very easy for firefighters to use, allowing them to focus on the job in hand.

With its large rugged design and exaggerated grip positions it is ideally suited for gloved hands, featuring dual PTT buttons, a large loudspeaker for enhanced audio performance and programmable side buttons. The integrated Nexus socket facilitates connectivity to various SCBA manufacturers equipment such as Dräger or Savox HC-E, HC-1 or TM-1 secondary accessories.

The RSM securely connects to the Tait portable radios, ensuring the best, reliable and most consistent audio quality and speech intelligibility. If the user is responding to an incident where the mask isn’t needed they still have the convenience of using the RSM without having to take their radio out of their pocket leaving both hands free and the radio protected. The RSM has the convenience of a high/low volume control dedicated emergency button and 3.5mm socket for discreet listening, all with an impressive IP 67 and MIL810 G environmental rating.

Tait has a range of non-ATEX TP9300 series which feature an array of highly distinguishable colors in non-display, 4 key and 16 key variants, and are also available in black.

Tait TP9300 series portable radios

Power to last beyond a shift – maximum durability
The “Tait Tough” design philosophy is integral to the whole solution including battery technology – your radio is only as good as the battery that powers it. Poor battery performance should not be accepted in critical fire rescue environments. The Tait battery and charger solution is optimized for maximum performance and the ATEX battery circuitry enhances safety while adding value through greater return on investment over the life of the radio.

In conclusion, simply buying a simple point to point radio solution is not enough to ensure a modern firefighter is safe and equipped to do their job. A holistic solution needs to looked at and procured, working with experts from within and outside the firefighter community, and partnering with suppliers who understand the real needs.

Click here to learn more about Tait products and solutions for the Fire and Emergency Response sector, or here if you’re curious as to how tough is “Tait tough”.

]]>https://blog.taitradio.com/2018/12/12/connecting-the-fireground/feed/0New White Paper: Tough Calls – Dedication in the Face of Disasterhttps://blog.taitradio.com/2018/12/12/new-white-paper-tough-calls-dedication-in-the-face-of-disaster/
https://blog.taitradio.com/2018/12/12/new-white-paper-tough-calls-dedication-in-the-face-of-disaster/#respondWed, 12 Dec 2018 01:00:39 +0000https://blog.taitradio.com/?p=9619This white paper from Tait Communications focuses on recent responses to disasters around the world. It details the courageous work of first responders and their supporting teams, despite the dangerous circumstances they face. Less technology focused than our typical white papers, this piece really demonstrates the dedication of these people and communities, as well as the positive contribution that critical communications can have when disaster strikes.

Every day, disasters threaten lives, homes, and property around the world. Hurricanes, wildfires, tornadoes, earthquakes, volcanoes, floods, drought, landslides, terrorist attacks and more, damage and destroy the people and things we hold dear.

Large cracks appear in the Fitzgerald Avenue bridge as a result of the 2011 earthquake. – Christchurch, New Zealand.

Wherever disaster strikes, you will find first responders willing and ready to serve. Firefighters, utility workers, police officers, rescue crews, EMS and many others put their lives on the line to protect and provide for their own communities and beyond. At those times when our instincts just want us to be with our families, first responders are heading to the front lines. And they are not alone. In the background, teams of workers are supporting, directing, feeding, managing and communicating, to ensure those on the front line have what they need to do their jobs.

We’ve looked at significant recent disasters, and from the many individual stories, we have identified some that illustrate the work of first responders, the organizations that support them and the communities they serve.

This free white paper summarizes exemplary action after disasters around the globe, and explores the role of critical communications in disaster relief efforts. Download this white paper for insights on:

Dedicated workers, dedicated employers,

Giving and receiving mutual aid,

Pitching in – doing what needs to be done,

How ready are you?

Practice makes perfect,

Disaster-ready communications,

Networking your networks,

Situational awareness – the big picture,

Choosing tech partners you can trust.

Click here to download your free copy of Tough Calls: Dedication in the Face of Disaster.

]]>https://blog.taitradio.com/2018/12/12/new-white-paper-tough-calls-dedication-in-the-face-of-disaster/feed/0Radio in the Resources Industryhttps://blog.taitradio.com/2018/12/07/radio-in-the-resources-industry/
https://blog.taitradio.com/2018/12/07/radio-in-the-resources-industry/#respondFri, 07 Dec 2018 01:30:39 +0000https://blog.taitradio.com/?p=9392Resource companies, along with other industries, are actively looking into advanced wireless communications and how they can make business safer and more efficient. With a vast variety of options including digital radio, data services, and automation, the companies question the future effect on mine sites and oil rigs. So how can organizations ensure they’re prepared to meet these demands?

The following article from the latest issue of Connection magazine talks about the future of wireless communication. Omnitronics Ltd, a global Tait Technology Partner, has been talking to Resource industry specialists and summarized their responses in five lessons.

1. Radio Will Remain the Most Vital Means of Communication

One thing is very clear: Land Mobile Radio will continue to be a highly important and necessary means of communications in Resources operations. This is due to three main characteristics:

One-to-many: “All Informed Communications”

Simple to use: encouraging “positive communication”

Flexibility: change the area of coverage or easily expand the network

2. How We Use Radio Will Change

Land Mobile Radio will continue to be a key piece of the communications infrastructure at mine sites and on oil fields, but it will be just that – one piece of the infrastructure. There is a range of other communications technologies available today that large operators are looking to integrate with radio, to improve their operations.

3. A Flexible Infrastructure is Vital

Lessons 1 and 2 raise the question: how can we ensure that radio communications remains a priority yet works with these new technologies? To face this challenge, the world leaders recognize the need to connect radio over IP. Not only is IP a common language across many technologies, it also provides the flexibility operators need to adjust their radio network to meet new operational and technological needs.

4. Centralization of Command and Control is Ideal

Another trend seen by the world leaders is a move towards centralized command and control, or Remote Operations Centers. These Centers perform a large variety of functions from radio dispatch and monitoring to data management, fleet management (including control of autonomous vehicles) and Emergency Management. By using Radio over IP, it is simple to connect communications from many sites back to one central hub.

5. The Role of Dispatch Will Change

Reduction in voice traffic, increased automation and centralization are likely to have a significant impact on radio dispatch operators, whose role has already changed significantly. Dispatchers are now increasingly responsible for monitoring and coordinating much of the activity, whether it be by voice or data. This requires them to be more responsive to situations involving breakdowns and emergencies in their area of control.

These lessons suggest that the characteristics of radio will ensure its longevity in the Resources industry, although the way that organizations structure and use their radio networks will change.

Want to learn more about how wireless communications are impacting industries? Read more educational and thought-provoking pieces from the latest issue of Connection 9, and subscribe to be the first to know when new issues are released.

]]>https://blog.taitradio.com/2018/12/07/radio-in-the-resources-industry/feed/0The Top 5 Stories from 2018https://blog.taitradio.com/2018/12/07/the-top-5-stories-from-2018/
https://blog.taitradio.com/2018/12/07/the-top-5-stories-from-2018/#respondFri, 07 Dec 2018 01:30:17 +0000https://blog.taitradio.com/?p=9409As the 2018 year comes to a close, we look back on some of the highlights for Tait and the critical communications industry. Ranging from monumental contracts, product releases, insights, and green innovations, 2018 has been busy and exciting across the board. We would like to share these moments with you, and revisit some of your favorite stories from this year.

Tait has long been regarded as a trusted supplier of DMR Tier 3 networks and solutions. We were among the first to take Tier 3 solutions to market, and we are still considered a market leader. This is because, in a nutshell, the Tait DMR platform gives organizations – small and large – more flexibility, control, and freedom of choice for their critical communications solutions.

Recently we looked back at our journey since launching Tier 3, talked to some of our customers, and have identified the top advantages of investing in Tait DMR:

Data services beyond voice and DMR

Industry-leading network performance

Decades of experience and knowledge

Simple, secure configuration and management

Flexibility, control and freedom of choice

True partnership – global, trusted, proven

Easy, future-proof evolution options

Tom de Rooy is the head organizer of the Kaikoura longboard festival. He explained that previously, organizers and event staff had a mix of radios of which most lacked interoperability and could not provide the coverage and range necessary across the race track. After introducing DMR this year, “The event organizers had seamless communication throughout the whole hill, which is so valuable,” de Rooy said. “We couldn’t go back to running an event like this without that communication, for safety and practicality. It’s just awesome to know that riders are going to get down and be safe.”

In March Tait Communications signed a contract with Transport for London (TfL) to replace the British capital city’s radio communications system with a new digital mobile radio system. Tait is responsible for manufacturing and installing the communications infrastructure that provides coverage across greater London, as well as the terminal equipment on London’s fleet of almost 10,000 busses.

Garry Diack, Chief Executive of Tait Communications, says TfL’s decision is a strong vote of confidence in Tait’s technology development. “This award was strongly contested through a rigorous process, and winning it against the major manufacturers in our industry worldwide is very gratifying.”

Tait Communications has designed the upgraded system to be resilient for today’s every-day needs as well as a digital platform for future health and safety effectiveness and operational efficiency. The on-bus equipment is based on the Tait Unified Vehicle platform, which gives access to multiple carrier networks in addition to mobile radio (ie. next-generation cellular and WiFi), and the ability to run custom applications to improve operational efficiency and the service provided to travelers.

“We have been careful to choose a solution that provides a low risk transition from the existing analog technology, and also integrates well with the future vision of TfL with open standards based DMR technology and ease of integration with an ITxPT (IT for Public Transport) Principal Member.” – Simon Reed, Head of Technology and Data: Surface Transport, Transport for London

Tait partnered with Sonim to supply the Rugged Smartphone – a phone that unifies critical communications and enables users to choose devices that best suit them, while remaining in constant contact across the radio network.

Produced for the modern workforce, these devices give access to data and applications that keep employees better connected, safe, and productive in the field. It also unifies access to all critical communications networks, meaning there is now a bridge between users on LMR and LTE networks, ensuring they are constantly in contact.

Since launch, the rugged smartphone has been well-received by customers as well as the Tait TeampPTT application. What is so attractive is the integration of many forms of communication technologies into one compact and rugged device.

In partnership with Sonim, we have created durable, rugged, hardware that is tough enough for all your jobs. Watch here.

Tait has been innovating and delivering analog and digital simulcast networks for decades. We therefore now have a huge range of expertise and flexibility to ensure the best fit for your present needs with future flexibility.

As the most adaptive digital radio platform available, simulcast provides greater coverage with fewer frequencies, can fill coverage dead-spots in challenging terrain, and delivers a cost effective and easy-to-use all-informed solution.

Tait simulcast solutions can be stand-alone, or integrated into a larger non-simulcast Tait network – for example, for tunnel coverage. As Tait simulcast networks use the same hardware as Tait non-simulcast networks, they can be partially or fully upgraded to simulcast later should this be required, and provides easy maintenance and spares management.

The latest simulcast also provides the additional benefits of simplifying the user experience by reducing channel change activities in conventional systems and reduces the number of re-registrations on a trunking network.

“Before you had to look for places where you could talk on a portable. Now I’m trying to look for places where I can’t, and I haven’t found any yet.” – Matthew Gay, Maintenance Manager, Madison County Fire

Read more about the Madison County Fire Department’s experience with simulcast innovations here.

A well-received innovation at Tait this year was a sustainable packaging solution created by design engineer Malcolm Falconer.

Falconer has created a molded structure made from recycled paper fibers to package and safely ship our equipment. His innovative design sees the packaging in two halves, interlocking around the product for protection throughout rough transport situations.

“I was thinking there must be a more environmentally friendly way to package our base station products as opposed to the current solution of using a foam insert,” Malcolm says. As Tait constantly strives to find ways to reduce our impact on the environment, Falconer’s innovation and actions are exemplary of Tait values and vision of environmental responsibility.

Testing has showed the new packaging provides more protection than the previous solution, as well as being completely recyclable. All Tait TB7300 and TB7100 base stations are currently wrapped and shipped in this sustainable protective packaging and looking to the future, more and more Tait products will receive this innovative and recyclable packaging.

To read about other green solutions Tait is turning into everyday practice, click here for a post on lead-free infrastructure assembly.

This year we have celebrated increasingly sustainable and integrated solutions that are flexible and resilient. We have formed more relationships with our customers to really understand their needs, and we continue to work at pace to provide products and services that save lives around the world. In 2019, innovation will be driving us forward as we are already seeing unique products like Tait Unified really show their capabilities for modern needs. We believe there are some exciting opportunities out there, and as Sir Angus Tait always said ‘The best is yet to come.’

To keep up to date with the most recent products, innovations, and news in critical communications industries, subscribe to our monthly newsletters that we create for you and your industry.

Below we have explored the top 10 reasons transport organizations choose Tait. You can visit the transport industry page to see more detail on client stories, specific offerings and more.

1. 40 Years of Mission Critical Transport Experience

Committed to mission critical communications, the vast experience Tait brings to each project means the needs of transport agencies are understood. With a long history working with a range of transport companies, the trust and quality represented by the brand is something Tait is very proud of and always working to uphold.

“We, of course, did thorough background… and reference checks… and we found that everybody that had worked with Tait in the past loved them.”
– A J O’Connor
Manager of Intelligent Transportation Systems, TriMet

2. Experience With Major Transport System Integrators

Tait has worked with major ITS (Intelligent Transport Systems) integrators to develop and install integrated communications systems across the world. This results in an unparalleled knowledge and understanding of the interfaces, systems, and software requirements needed to deliver cost efficient implementations.

3. IP Capability and Customized Applications

Transit and transport companies are moving to an IP based communications infrastructure to allow for comprehensive integration of on-board systems. Tait Unified Vehicle provides a modular multibearer platform with the flexibility to adapt to these changing business needs. In addition, it can host applications and enable a wide ecosystem of application development, store data, and act as an access point for other devices on the vehicle. This level of flexibility allows Tait to meet business needs across a range of hybrid networks now, and in the future. Tait is also fully engaged in the standards development of ITS systems worldwide – for instance UITP, developing the European Bus of The Future.

“The decision to implement an AVL system that used Tait TNDS to carry the real-time data was based on the practicality and cost effectiveness of this solution. ”
– Brendan Flynn
Technology Development Manager, Dublin Bus

4. Understanding of the Industry and Commitment to Client Outcomes

Tait has worked with a range of large and small-scale operators, transit authorities, and service providers to help solve their operational and business issues. In the process, the company has built up knowledge and understanding of the drivers, issues, and complexities in the transport industry. This is further strengthened by a rich history of working with other transport-heavy industries such as mining, developing a range of innovative safety and performance improving solutions that are also applicable across the transport industry.

David Astill, Commercial Manager, Nottingham City Transport said:

“We are now able to see visually and diagrammatically where our vehicles are so our control room can predict where problems are going to be and take a more proactive stance. Ultimately it’s about giving customers confidence and predictability in their local bus service, which we know is what they want.”

5. Flexible and Consultative Delivery

Tait is small and agile enough to provide good customer service, but also experienced enough to have strong technological research and innovation that delivers high quality products. The focus on a consultative approach as well as the flexibility and willingness to incorporate custom solutions really sets Tait apart.

“Planning for future communications in partnership with Tait means an expert team is right there at each stage, designing, managing and supporting the changes, working to an organization’s time-frame to minimize any impacts on budget and service.”
– Hans van der Linde
Managing Director, Tait EMEA

6. Expertise in Building Resilient Networks

Tait DMR solutions are created with reliability and resilience in mind, to deliver seamless availability whenever and wherever required. Tait has acted as a trusted and experienced partner with a range of transport organizations across the world. Tait’s developed network designs deliver critical communications systems that provide improved services to these customers and increase worker safety.

7. End-to-end Design, Manufacture, Deployment and Service

Tait systems are optimised to work in unison, and the company is involved in every step of the process – from design and manufacturing, to deployment and management. Tait stands behind all of their products because they built them, putting passion and innovation into creating communication tools optimized for each project.

8. Flexible DMR Solutions that Integrate With All Systems and Applications

Tait is committed to open standards and unifying communications capabilities, while ensuring interoperability. Tait DMR ensures the powerful combination of both voice and data to provide improved coverage, flexibility, control, and resiliency. If requirements change, Tait has worked hard to make sure the network is easily expandable to accommodate.

Simon Reed of Transport for London commented:

“We have been careful to choose a solution that provides a low risk transition from the existing analogue technology, and also integrates well with the future vision of TfL with open standards based DMR technology and ease of integration with an ITxPT (IT for Public Transport) Principal Member.”

Source: ITxPT

9. Service Solutions Tailored to Your Needs

Tait understands that value isn’t about the lowest price – it’s about the right solution at the right price. Rather than designing to use an entire budget, the needs of each project are met. Tait works with integrators to design and develop the most appropriate set up in terms of hardware solution, software development and the services around it.

“We were looking for best value for money. Tait is the first of a new breed of low-cost solutions becoming available to federal frequency users. These new low cost radios are the outcome of a fresh new competitive market we see developing and the results are exciting.”
– Malcolm Kyser
Chief of Communications, Civil Air Patrol

10. Comprehensive Partnering Program

Tait partners with leading technology companies to provide the very best solutions. An open standards environment and a rigorous compatibility testing regime guarantees interoperability with industry leaders such as INEO, Init and Trapeze. Together, we deliver world-class solutions that can save as much as 30%, compared to a single-vendor solution.

“Tait equipment was chosen because of its features and support for P25 standard. Combining this with Mastercom’s detailed understanding of our requirements, the choice was simple. The new wide area network has improved radio coverage and quality of voice communications.”
– Paul Mendoza
IT Manager, Sydney Airport Corporation Limited

Is there still a need for voice communications in public transport operations? This whitepaper carefully considers the limitations of data only services for transport providers.

]]>https://blog.taitradio.com/2018/12/04/10-reasons-transport-organizations-choose-tait/feed/0Utilities, is your grid resilient?https://blog.taitradio.com/2018/10/25/utilities-is-your-grid-resilient/
https://blog.taitradio.com/2018/10/25/utilities-is-your-grid-resilient/#respondThu, 25 Oct 2018 01:00:00 +0000https://blog.taitradio.com/?p=9271Electricity is something we often take for granted – until we lose it. Fortunately, there are great Utility companies all over the world who work tirelessly to ensure their grid stays online. Modern communications tools are one of the ways Utility companies can ensure a resilient grid for everyone they serve.

Without the steady flow of electricity that Utilities companies provide, our modern world quickly falls apart. Public transportation grinds to a halt, hospitals lose the ability to treat and monitor patients, computers, ATMs, and electronic payment systems stop working. Large tech companies get the spotlight for leading innovation, but without electricity nothing they create would work.

While consumers may take the importance of electricity for granted, Utility organizations never forget. They’re always looking for ways to build and maintain a more resilient grid. Critical communications contributes to this important mission in several ways, read on to learn more about the possibilities.

Simplex Radio to Radio Communications

Simply put, this is an important back-up feature which can enable communication even when parts of the network are down. Hurricanes are a consistent and powerful threat to grid resiliency. When storms like Hurricane Irma strike, the damage and destruction can be so bad that Utility companies from other states come to offer their support. For instance, in September 2017 Alliant Energy sent 200 personnel from Iowa and Wisconsin down to Florida for two weeks.

Ron Graber, Director – Operational Resources, Alliant Energy, talked about the importance of the analog talk-around feature which allows simplex truck-to-truck radio communication. Even though they were hundreds of miles outside their traditional coverage area, analogradio to radio comms “allowed all those volunteers to remain in touch with each other, coordinate and offer their support.”

When you lose cellular coverage, cell phones simply cannot make calls. LMRPortable radios, however, can continue operating in simplex mode even when they cannot connect to the network. For this reason, simplex communication is also an important back-up feature in your own area of coverage. Even though LMR networks are built with redundancy in mind, large scale disasters can still cause trouble. Enabling your people to communicate with each other through simplex mode can speed the recovery time, enhance safety, and help keep you connected when all systems go down.

Distribution Automation – Monitor and Control your Grid

Distribution Automation has improved Utility service delivery for years. The ability to monitor and control your grid increases resilience because you can identify and solve small issues before they become big problems. It can increase the speed of power restoration and reduce the number of truck deployments. The benefits are significant and self-evident, but distribution automation can pose a challenge in rural areas.

In order to transmit the SCADA data required for distribution automation, you need a reliable data pipeline. In many areas Utilities will use Fibre Optics, LTE, or other data transmitting techniques. If your grid includes rural areas, fibre optics are too expensive and LTE coverage may not be available or reliable.

In order to have their entire grid more resilient thanks to distribution automation, some Utilities are filling the coverage gaps with a DMR voice and data network. Solutions like Tait GridLinkconnect a radio unit to an RTU and transmit SCADA data. Because DMR is both wide area and mission critical, this option can give Utilities a more expansive and more resilient distribution automation solution for their grid. As EA Networks described GridLink, this solution is their “secret weapon” for power restoration.

Resilient and Reliable Communications

Resilient communications support a resilient grid. Having a network you can rely on, even during major storms, can give Utilities confidence in their service delivery and the safety of their staff. Dennis Buchanan, Communications Technician for Rappahannock Electric Cooperative, described it this way, “We have had numerous major storm outages since the installation of the Tait Network. In each and every case it has been robust in nature and has cut service restoral times significantly.”

There are a few reasons Tait DMR base stations are so resilient and reliable:

On-site generators provide power back-up, which keeps the system running even during power outages.

Base Stations are built “Tait Tough” and meet or exceed Military Standards for altitude, humidity, vibration and shock. They are certified to operate in temperatures of -22º to 140ºF (-30º to 60ºC).

They’re rated for continuous full output power to ensure continuity of operation with smart AC/DC management.

Should the control channel fail, then it is automatically allocated to a different base station to continue operation.

Unify the benefits of LTE with the reliability of LMR

LTE has unlocked countless new applications for Utilities to help keep their grid resilient. Whether they’re filing reports, loading images of potential problems, or checking smart meters. Utility employees can do more on-the-go than ever before.

Utilities are beginning to realize that they can get the most from LTE and LMR by unifying them through a solution like Tait Unified Vehicle. To create this converged solution, Tait took a resilient and reliable mobile radio and “supercharged” it by adding a computer board for applications, LTE capabilities, a WiFi network, bluetooth, and more. Utility workers can now be connected like never before.

If cellular stops working, you can still rely on the LMR network such as DMR or P25.

Utility workers can connect any internet capable device to the Tait Unified Vehicle WiFi network and take advantage of the LTE.

Because the vehicle antenna is far more powerful than a smartphone, you can take advantage of LTE in more areas than before.

Tait Unified Vehicle reduces the amount of hardware you need for this level of connectivity and fits inside a standard mobile radio.

The Tait Remote Application allows workers to use their smartphone to talk through or listen to their mobile radio, keeping them connected even when they’re outside their vehicle.

If you’d like to explore some strategic methods for modernizing a grid to enhance reliability, check out the white paper Modernizing your Grid.

]]>https://blog.taitradio.com/2018/10/25/utilities-is-your-grid-resilient/feed/0Connection Magazine issue 9 is here!https://blog.taitradio.com/2018/10/19/connection-magazine-issue-9-is-here/
https://blog.taitradio.com/2018/10/19/connection-magazine-issue-9-is-here/#respondThu, 18 Oct 2018 22:54:22 +0000https://blog.taitradio.com/?p=9303We’re very happy to announce the latest issue of Connection Magazine is released! In the much anticipated 9th issue we dive deeper into the future of emergency communications in the US, discover new trends in the fast-paced technology environment, learn about ongoing issues in the mining industry – and much more!

Read issue 9 now!

Featured Articles

LMR in a FirstNet World
We look at a number of hot questions on what role LMR has alongside FirstNet in the US and whether it can be the only source of voice communications in Public Safety. Although LMR networks are currently sufficient for some level of functionality, FirstNet could become a must-have in the long run. The article covers some crucial benefits of integrating FirstNet with LMR that may transform the world of critical communicaitons forever.

Mission Possible
Change is constant and this has never been more relevant to the world of communications. We asked Kevin Golding, Applications Manager at South Midlands Communications (SMC) in the UK about his perspective on recent trends in the mobile radio and critical comms community. He shares insight into expanded industry capabilities and current customer demands. With new applications that come into play, customers’ imagination is the only limit as anything is becoming possible.

Prospecting For New Solutions
While some industries are prospering, Mining is in an ongoing up-and-down cycle. Dr Jan Noordhof explains in detail why mining companies are facing challenges and how digital solutions can mitigate the increasing risks. As opposed to Oil, Gas and Utilities, there is no universal digital solution for Mining, however several enterprises have already launched pilot projects and anticipate positive results.

Tait Partner Perspective: The High Tech Uptake – Rainer Grob is an engineer and owner of Nova Funk Engineering AG, mobile comms specialists in Lucerne, Switzerland. He talks to Connection about the changes he has seen over his career, and Switzerland’s unique communications environment.

Each article is full of interesting stories and opinions to understand the evolving world of critical communications.

Read more of the latest issue of Connection Magazine online, or subscribe today to receive new issues of Connection as they’re released, along with other informative content from Tait.

Subscribe today

]]>https://blog.taitradio.com/2018/10/19/connection-magazine-issue-9-is-here/feed/0Evolve and protect your investment in LMR with Tait Unified Vehiclehttps://blog.taitradio.com/2018/10/17/evolve-and-protect-your-investment-in-lmr-with-tait-unified-vehicle/
https://blog.taitradio.com/2018/10/17/evolve-and-protect-your-investment-in-lmr-with-tait-unified-vehicle/#respondTue, 16 Oct 2018 21:56:58 +0000https://blog.taitradio.com/?p=8866With major investments in infrastructure expected to last 15-20 years, communications networks are now having to support a range of both new and legacy applications, various network connections, IP, etc that they were never designed to support – all with mounting additional costs.

You may already know that with a simple upgrade from mobile radio that supports familiar, business-as-usual practices, Tait Unified Vehicle creates a network of networks – LMR, LTE, and WiFi – that ensures urgent calls always get through. In addition to being a multi-bearer communications hub offering a high level of connectivity, Tait Unified Vehicle houses a powerful industrial grade processor and the Tait AppBuilder platform. AppBuilder provides the ability for customization of Tait Unified Vehicle to behave in ways unique to your organization’s challenges and requirements, thus giving you an individualized product without the need for hardware modifications.

Tait Unified Vehicle is made to evolve and protect your investment with the ability to deliver a range of voice and data solutions for current and future needs of users and operators, with a powerful AppBuilder platform that unlocks huge possibilities for customization. The result is a single integrated device that combines connectivity, application processing, storage and communications in a powerful, easy-to-use open standards platform that can provide custom solutions for your organization.

Learn more about how the latest release of Tait Unified Vehicle with AppBuilder can help you make the most of your mobile communications –download the brochure here.

Contact us to request more information or pricing on any of our solutions.

Lead is extremely toxic to humans – prolonged exposure can cause serious problems to your central nervous system, so it isn’t something we want to be handling unnecessarily. Unfortunately, it’s been used in electronic components for years, particularly in solder. So there is wide concern about how much lead the disposal of these devices might introduce to our soil and waterways.

Governments around the world have legislated to manage this problem, and Tait terminals have been lead-free for a decade now, under the European RoHS (Reduction of Hazardous Substances) legislation. In 2016, this law extended to include base stations, necessitating a switch to lead-free assembly to continue selling our infrastructure products into Europe.

Updating our wave soldering process required a particularly substantial investment. So began a major project to transition our infrastructure production processes to lead-free.

Background

For years, the industry-standard way to make multiple through-hole solder joints in a short time has been a wave solder process. This involves conveying a printed circuit board assembly (PBA) across the top of a bath of molten solder. A pump spills a wave of molten solder over the edge of the bath, just touching the bottom of the PBA, and forming solder joints between the component leads and the metalized pads on the board surface.

Soldering

Unfortunately, our 15-year-old wave solder machine was not designed for lead-free assembly, and was outside the manufacturer’s service life. So we had to consider our options: how would we maintain our infrastructure assembly capability in a lead-free world?

Upgrade the current machine?

We could have upgraded our wave solder machine to make it lead-free-capable, but this would have come at a fairly steep cost and would not have changed the fact that the machine had been officially retired by the manufacturer, and would no longer be actively supported.

Hand soldering?

Hand soldering was considered only briefly because the heat-sinking on many of the components means that the thermal demands for soldering exceed what can be done with a manual soldering iron. Even with a high-power iron, the time taken to form the solder joint exceeds the working life of the flux in the solder. Special fixturing or component forming tools would have been required, to allow us to hold components in place while a board was being soldered.

Hand soldering

New wave solder machine?

Wave solder is a good choice for high-volume soldering of through-hole components, but our situation is medium-volume: too much (and too technically demanding) for manual soldering, but too little to justify wave solder. Since our current machine was purchased 15 years ago, a significant proportion of through-hole components have migrated to surface mount technology, so a new wave solder machine would operate for only a small part of each day to meet our demand. But it would require the solder pot to be active for much longer than that, meaning greater energy cost. The price is similar to a selective solder machine but wave solder is much less flexible, and does not provide selective solder’s cost reduction opportunities.

Selective solder machine?

This is the option we ultimately chose. Selective soldering is an automated process that solders individual joints or clusters of joints at a time. Instead of using a large pot of molten solder with a wave that solders the entire width of a board, selective soldering allows individual joints to be accurately soldered with a thin vertical “pencil” of molten solder. This technology not only satisfies our requirements for RoHS compliant infrastructure equipment, but it also reduces costs on other products that are not compatible with wave solder and would previously have had to be hand-soldered.

Molten solder

The decision

Having decided which technology approach to take, we evaluated many different machine models and came up with a shortlist of machines which met our requirements; safety, quality, PCB size constraints, throughput, and capacity, among other factors. We then visited other manufacturers using those machines, for an in-depth, practical assessment and – importantly – conversations with current users.

The selective solder machine we settled on was the Kurtz Ersa EcoSelect 1.

The key influencers of this this decision were that this machine has both top and bottom heaters (important due to the high thermal mass of our infrastructure products), additional nozzles, superior process control verification equipment, versatile software, a high number in use worldwide, and an acceptable cost.

What now?

The machine was successfully commissioned and now processes our main infrastructure assemblies, lead-free and RoHS compliant.

We can now look forward to a series of productivity improvements. Besides covering all our current wave solder machine work, we will be able to eliminate a considerable amount of hand-soldering on other products.

A finished part after soldering

Ongoing expenses of a selective solder machine are less than for our current wave solder machine: lower energy cost, less solder use, less flux consumption, less dross/wastage, and less maintenance. And the new machine’s soldering is superior to both hand soldering and our current wave solder machine; it solders in an inert nitrogen atmosphere, producing exceptionally high-quality solder joints. This allows us to take an already-robust process to an even higher level, while complying with legislation to reducing the impact of electronic waste on human health.

Take a look inside the Tait factory to learn more about how we create our tough radios and base stations for clients all over the world – Inside the Tait Factory.

Tait appreciates the combined importance of innovative progression, along with the importance of environmental responsibility. We strive to find the best means of achieving both. Read more about how we do this in our Environmental Policy.

]]>https://blog.taitradio.com/2018/09/25/get-the-lead-out-how-tait-switched-to-lead-free-infrastructure-assembly/feed/0More Organizations are Choosing Tait DMR Tier 3https://blog.taitradio.com/2018/09/11/more-organizations-are-choosing-tait-dmr-tier-3/
https://blog.taitradio.com/2018/09/11/more-organizations-are-choosing-tait-dmr-tier-3/#respondTue, 11 Sep 2018 04:00:09 +0000https://blog.taitradio.com/?p=9107Leading the pack with the largest DMR Tier 3 systems in the world

Alliant Energy (USA), Transport for London (UK), Talquin Electric (USA), Vertel (Australia), and TeamTalk (NZ) have all called on Tait to provide reliable, interoperable, mission critical radio communication systems to support their operations.

Tait designs and builds proven DMR Tier 3 trunked networks that critical industries around the world rely on for safety, productivity and automation. Thanks to the open standards technology on which all Tait products are based, the Tait digital terminals are compatible with existing analog systems and DMR systems from other vendors.

These recent contracts and deployments are a testament to the confidence that you can place in Tait products, services and support services. Our experience in deployments of all sizes, collaborative approach with customers, and the quality of our terminals are just some of the reasons why Alliant, TfL, Talquin, Vertel, and TeamTalk have chosen Tait.

Alliant Energy

Alliant Energy covers a 54,000 square mile (140,000 square km) service area in Wisconsin and Iowa. They selected a Tait DMR Tier 3 system in 2015 and recently completed their transition from an Analog system to a 122-site DMR Tier 3 system.

The organization has a strategic focus on optimization, providing reliable service to their one million electric customers and 400,000 natural gas customers through continued modernization of the power grid and other crucial infrastructure.

Ron Graber, Director of Operational Resources, Alliant Energy, said, “Our primary requirements with an upgrade were safety, for both our workers and our customers, and the efficient dispatch of work. We wanted a system that, from the point of view of coverage and usability, was as good, or better than, what we had.” Learn more about the Alliant Energy transition in this article from LandMobile.

Transport for London

Every day, more than 31 million journeys are made across Transport for London’s public transport and main road networks. The TfL bus network consists of over 650 contracted bus routes, served by over 9500 vehicles with a network of over 19,000 bus stops. In March of 2018, it was announced that they selected Tait Communications to replace their radio communications system.

Simon Reed, Transport for London’s Head of Technology and Data: Surface Transport, said, “We have been careful to choose a solution that provides a low risk transition from the existing Analog technology and also integrates well with the future vision of TfL, with open standards based DMR technology and ease of integration with an ITxPT (IT for Public Transport) Principal Member.”

The transition to digital is already underway, and you can learn more about the project in the Tait press release.

Talquin Electric

Although Alliant Energy and TfL are very large DMR Tier 3 systems, Tait also loves to work with smaller organizations, like the Talquin Electric Cooperative. Based in Quincy, Florida, Talquin serves a 2,600 square mile (6,700 square km) territory that covers four counties in Northwest Florida. The Electric Co-op works in water, waste water, and electric. They have approximately 190 employees, 110 vehicles, and plenty of radio traffic.

They needed more channels and better coverage for their ageing radio system, so they chose a Tait DMR Tier 3 network. One of the benefits of their upgrade, aside from enhanced coverage, was the new safety features. Their radios have man down, lone worker, and GPS functionality on each radio.Now, dispatch knows immediately if there is a problem, and where to send help.

Dane Clemons, Director of Technology at Talquin Electric, summed it up well when he said, “Our staff can communicate with one another, and it has improved efficiency. The Tait system has improved the way that we work and the way we communicate with our employees.” See more on the Talquin Client Story page.

Vertel

Vertel is an independent Australian telecommunications carrier specializing in the design, build and operation of next generation network infrastructure and associated services. Vertel has been at the forefront of land mobile radio networks since 1973. They provide fully managed two way radio networks to government and enterprise organizations all around Australia, including mobile radio, wireless LAN, Carrier Ethernet and Internet services.

When it was time to upgrade their MPT Analog network to a DMR Tier 3 digital network, they selected the Tait solution. They built a nationwide communications network with Tait base stations and core network forming the backbone of the system. Thanks to open standards, they can offer a variety of terminals and applications to meet the needs of their customers.

Bruce Quail, LMR Strategy Manager for Vertel, said “It is Tait’s proven experience in large scale open standards networks and the depth of local support that makes them the perfect partner for this landmark project.” Learn more about the Tait and Vertel story.

TeamTalk

TeamTalk is a publicly listed telecommunications services provider, and the largest provider of commercial mobile radio communications services and solutions throughout New Zealand. In December of 2017, they announced their decision to select Tait Communications to supply and build their new nationwide Tier III Digital Mobile Radio network.

Andrew Miller, the Chief Executive for TeamTalk, said, “Whilst a new digital network is exciting, it is the roadmap of further integrated services that will be released over the next few years that really excites us about this investment. Our partnership with Tait Communications and other integrators will allow us to be at the forefront of new developments and enable New Zealand to gain access to these leading technologies and solutions quickly.”

The DMR open standards that Tait adheres to allows our networks to integrate, not only with other voice suppliers, but also with application providers, dispatch consoles, web browsers, and other open standard systems. By selecting a Tait DMR network, organizations will be ready for the future and any new solutions that come from other integrators. Learn more about the strategic partnership between TeamTalk and Tait.

If you would like more informationabout our DMR Tier 3 solutions, pleasecontact us or leave a comment below.

]]>https://blog.taitradio.com/2018/09/11/more-organizations-are-choosing-tait-dmr-tier-3/feed/0Communications in the Mine of the Futurehttps://blog.taitradio.com/2018/09/02/communications-in-the-mine-of-the-future/
https://blog.taitradio.com/2018/09/02/communications-in-the-mine-of-the-future/#respondSun, 02 Sep 2018 04:02:30 +0000https://blog.taitradio.com/?p=9220

As the scope of the industry’s communications requirements increase, many mines employ an expanding, but disparate mix of technologies. Over many decades, mines have employed phones, bell signalling, leaky feeder systems, through-the-earth communications, VOIP, WiFi, RFID, and cellular to name a few.

Unfortunately, more often than not, they remain discrete, proprietary, and incapable of the integration that will provide the gateway to a digital future.

But change is coming. Communication requirements that improve safety, enhance monitoring, and increase automation and remote control are driving solutions that offer massive data throughput and significantly lower latency.

The mine of the future will continue to utilize a mixture of communications technologies, but to integrate their operations, companies must also integrate the communications that coordinate them. While no one expects one seamless system to combine all the current technologies, it is possible to unify them. Digital communications technologies are run and managed within an IP-based infrastructure, so can be unified to form a single, converged network.

Today’s mining communications are geographically constrained around individual mines. However, the mine of the future must fulfill requirements not envisioned when today’s systems were planned; integrated, company-wide communications across the entire reach of its operations – not just from pit to port, but across multiple field sites, and city-based corporate offices. Integration will require backhaul to match the company’s coverage, latency, and capacity requirements.

Remote monitoring and control will dump huge quantities of data onto networks, so that sensor analytics applications can statistically process and feed them into Big Data analytics. Operational management will act on the results to track mine performance, alter schedules, modify operations, and track finances. This will require integrated, wide-area, heterogeneous communications that can support high bandwidth, high speed voice and data communications.

Mining wireless broadband

Both Rio Tinto and BHP Billiton are installing large-scale LTE wireless broadband networks, using the same technology that powers today’s 4G cellular phone systems. LTE offers many features for the mine of the future: high data capacity, low latency, excellent resilience, and exceptional spectrum usage. In particular, LTE can handle diverse data demands (e.g. field reporting, dispatching) and can prioritize traffic based on Quality of Service (QoS).

LTE could potentially replace the WiFi mesh networks that currently provide wireless data communications above and below ground. Mesh networks pass data from one device to another, so devices that are too far apart can still exchange data via a chain of intermediate devices. This pass-the-parcel technique works well when devices talk frequently to their WiFi neighbors (e.g. sensor networks), and when many are clustered in the same location. But each device must be within range of its neighbor, and performance depends on length of the chain connecting any two devices; longer chains mean slower connections.

However, LTE cannot do everything. Cell sizes are small compared to LMR, requiring many more towers to achieve the same coverage. If coverage is required over a large geographical area, data performance may be a brilliant 30 Mbps next to a tower, but drops off rapidly to a miserly 0.25 Mbps as an LTE terminal user moves to the cell boundary (typically around 10 km from the tower). Unlike radio, bandwidth can vary, depending on network loading at any given time. Near a coverage boundary, applications may not always work. And when network traffic is especially heavy (e.g. during an emergency) some applications may fail altogether.

If, say, seven or eight emergency generators all need to communicate to an operations center rather than to each other, then wide-area cellular is worth the extra cost. Above ground, LMR remains popular for voice communications because it is highly reliable, has excellent coverage, SMS data capability and is largely cost effective. (Below ground, LMR communicates via leaky feeders.) Existing industrial monitor and control systems use purpose-built sensors and other proprietary components. Above and below ground, wireless data communications are commonly provided over WiFi mesh systems.

As other industries like public safety have have found, it is a good idea to pair LTE with LMR, to guarantee coverage and to provide redundancy. LMR manufacturers have come on board with products (including intrinsically-safe subscriber units) that support digital LMR as well as LTE. New technologies may emerge, but most earlier technologies will remain relevant, and are maintained, advanced and upgraded by manufacturers. Rather than developing a single, ideal technology, the future of mining communications lies in the smart integration of multiple new and existing tools.

You can also read real case studies of how Tait has helped mining, oil, and gas customers by clicking here.

]]>https://blog.taitradio.com/2018/09/02/communications-in-the-mine-of-the-future/feed/0Client Story: A Communications System that Boxborough Police and Fire Can Rely Onhttps://blog.taitradio.com/2018/08/31/client-story-a-communications-system-that-boxborough-police-and-fire-can-rely-on/
https://blog.taitradio.com/2018/08/31/client-story-a-communications-system-that-boxborough-police-and-fire-can-rely-on/#respondFri, 31 Aug 2018 04:02:31 +0000https://blog.taitradio.com/?p=9210The Boxborough Police and Fire Departments look after the City of Boxborough, a small town of about 5,000 people in Massachusetts, USA. They provide 24/7 police and fire coverage with the Police Force providing 13 full-time officers, and the Fire Department 29 firefighters.

For many years, Boxborough Police and Fire dealt with older technology for their communications, technology which was unreliable, susceptible to failure and generally just not fit for purpose. In one particular incident, a radio communications failure almost cost Police Chief Warren Ryder his life when he was unable to call for backup. When it was time to install a new communications system, Boxborough had three major concerns: the system had to be open-standard for equipment compatibility, robust enough to handle sub-optimal conditions, and needed to meet their coverage needs in the long-term within budget.

Boxborough reached out to Tait-Harris dealer, ALL-COMM Technologies, who analyzed their needs and suggested a Tait powered* solution from Harris. The Boxborough Fire Department selected an Analog Simulcast over IP (AS-IP) system, while the Police Force chose a P25 LSM Simulcast system, both of which can run on the multi-platform Tait TB9400s. The Tait powered* communication backbone was designed to provide coverage over the difficult topography of the region and for portables and mobiles from different vendors.

A Boxborough police officer ready to be deployed.

The new system has provided several benefits to Boxborough Police and Fire, as well as the community of Boxborough. First, the officers have communications they can rely on – they know that dispatch will hear them, and that they will receive communications from others. Second, audio clarity has increased dramatically – when Boxborough listened to the radio communications of neighboring agencies using older analog equipment, they realized they’ve become spoiled as their ears struggled to adjust back. Last but not least, the ability to monitor and manage their system remotely has been a huge improvement from both a safety and productivity standpoint. With the old system, they had no idea there was a problem until communications were lost, and then they had to start searching to find the cause of the problem. With the new IP connected system, Chief Ryder can log in with his computer and check on the health of the network. If there is a potential issue, they know about it and can fix it early, before communications are lost for the officers. In Chief Ryder’s own words:

“At the end of the day, what’s most important is the lives and safety of not only the employees, but the people we serve. Now we know, without a doubt, that our communications are going out fully and all messages are being received. It’s a great system.”

*Tait Powered Solutions are available exclusively from Harris Corporation in North America.

]]>https://blog.taitradio.com/2018/08/31/client-story-a-communications-system-that-boxborough-police-and-fire-can-rely-on/feed/0Client Story: Tait Tough radios for Defense Traininghttps://blog.taitradio.com/2018/08/30/client-story-tait-tough-radios-for-defense-training/
https://blog.taitradio.com/2018/08/30/client-story-tait-tough-radios-for-defense-training/#respondThu, 30 Aug 2018 04:00:01 +0000https://blog.taitradio.com/?p=9195From Florida, USA, to Hohenfels, Germany, Tait Tough solutions have once proven that they can stand up to the challenge of rugged environments. Read on to learn about how installing a new Tait P25 network and upgrading from analog to Tait trunked DMR has benefited the Camp Blanding Joint Training Center (CBJTC) and the US Army Joint Multinational Readiness Center (JMRC).

Camp Blanding Joint Training Center

Camp Blanding is the Florida National Guard’s premier training site in North-Central Florida, providing resources to enhance joint, interagency, intergovernmental and multinational training in support of the national, state, and local communities. Their radio network, which supported range control, combat simulation training and base administrative operations, had been built over several years where budgets permitted. The system was unreliable, did not provide coverage over the 73,000-acre training area, and had no single point of contact for repairs or service when total failures occurred. The portable and mobile radios were also not tough enough for the outdoor military operations and required replacement repeatedly.

Tait worked with local Tait channel partner On-Site Communications and Florida National Guard staff to assess CBJTC’s requirements, putting together a plan for a phased roll-out of their new P25 network over several years, as the Guard’s budget allowed. The network has now been in place for over five years, reliably meeting the Guard’s training mission and with new users easily joining it each year.

“The Tait system is user-friendly, and remains consistent and reliable across a 73,000 acre installation”

– CPT Robert Cater

US Army Joint Multinational Readiness Center

Some 5000 miles away in Bavaria, Germany, is the US Army’s JMRC, the only US training area located outside of the United States. The JMRC, made up of the Hohenfels and Grafenwöhr Training Areas, provides a myriad of indispensable capabilities to the US Army, European Allies, and other partners. Since 2003, safety communications have been provided by Tait’s MPT-1327 analog trunked network, supporting range control and combat simulation exercises over the 396km2 combined training area. Components of the network began to reach end of life in 2015, necessitating a move from a circuit-switched to an IP-based topology. During this process, the Army indicated a preference to move to the Tait trunked digital DMR protocol air interface.

In partnership with Raytheon, AITC (a service disabled veteran-owned contractor), and Magdalene (Tait’s Service Provider), Tait began the migration of their network from analog to DMR. After obtaining JF-12 Army certification for the new equipment, the JMRC’s worn and aging radios were replaced with the Tait 9300 terminal series, instantly enhancing coverage and audio quality in the upgrade to digital. The migration was a huge success, and as an added bonus, required minimal retraining of Army staff.

]]>https://blog.taitradio.com/2018/08/30/client-story-tait-tough-radios-for-defense-training/feed/0The UTC Foundation: Encouraging the Future of Critical Infrastructure Industrieshttps://blog.taitradio.com/2018/08/27/the-utc-foundation-encouraging-the-future-of-critical-infrastructure-industries/
https://blog.taitradio.com/2018/08/27/the-utc-foundation-encouraging-the-future-of-critical-infrastructure-industries/#respondMon, 27 Aug 2018 05:00:52 +0000https://blog.taitradio.com/?p=9138One of the things I love about working at Tait is the organization’s emphasis on supporting the next generation of technical leadership. For years we have sponsored and supported organizations like the Wireless Research Centre at the University of Canterbury or the Australian Radio Communications Industry Association (ARCIA).

As one generation of tech talent retires, it is always important to bring in fresh talent and new ideas to ensure the industry continues to grow in positive ways. Not only that, it’s important that the extensive knowledge of the retiring generation gets passed on to the next generation.

One example of this need is in the Utility space. Power distribution is now more important than ever, with more systems and people depending on reliable energy each day. Young talent, fresh ideas, and technological expertise is required to meet these growing demands.

The Utilities Technology Council (UTC) recognized the need to invest in the next generation and develop bright young talent, so they formed the UTC Foundation in 2017. The Foundation’s mission is “to sponsor educational incentives and programs to attract, retain and support top technology and telecommunications talent to foster the future workforce in critical infrastructure industries.”

Tait was able to support the UTC Foundation by sponsoring the creation of their about video, which you can watch below. I had the privilege of being behind-the-camera for this video, and was very impressed with the people leading the Foundation, the clarity of their mission, and the work they’ve already started doing. To learn more about their work, watch the video below:

If you would like to learn more about the UTC Foundation, get involved, or donate to the cause, you can visit their website for more.

To learn more about the other causes Tait supports, visit Our Causes page.

]]>https://blog.taitradio.com/2018/08/27/the-utc-foundation-encouraging-the-future-of-critical-infrastructure-industries/feed/0Forging New ICT Open Standards for Public Transporthttps://blog.taitradio.com/2018/08/27/forging-new-ict-open-standards-for-public-transport/
https://blog.taitradio.com/2018/08/27/forging-new-ict-open-standards-for-public-transport/#respondMon, 27 Aug 2018 05:00:41 +0000https://blog.taitradio.com/?p=8980We’ve been working hard on a new issue of Connection magazine – coming soon – and we’re excited to give you a sneak peak at one of the latest articles below!

Imagine if different versions of WiFi were not backwards compatible, and you needed a different WiFi adapter to connect your smart devices or laptops in different locations. Tait’s UK-based General Manager – Transport, Jamie Bishop, shares the current state of play in Public Transport IT standards, and the benefits that ITxPT will be bringing to the Public Transport sector.

Standards are a key part of our daily lives; everything that we touch or interact with has been developed to a standard, the plug that connects your kettle to make your morning cup of tea, to the fuel that powers your car or bus that takes you to work. Imagine how life would be, if each appliance in your house used a different plug into your mains electricity or the type of fuel was specific to your make of car. Or… heaven forbid… you couldn’t mix Mac and Microsoft operating systems!

Standards gave us freedom of choice for consumers and enterprise businesses, ensuring that there is no need for a proprietary, wholesale, big-bang upgrade of IT equipment whenever a new device comes along.

Telecoms standards released by the 3GPP enabled global adoption of cellular technology with roaming around the world. PMR/LMR standards –Tetra, APCO P25 and more recently DMR – enable interoperability between devices and networks, and choice of connected applications from different vendors. In fact, we have all started to take standards for granted.

However, IT in public transport standards are less mature. Over several decades, Tait has developed numerous public transport radio systems, and almost every case, has required costly, bespoke interface development between mobile radio, on-board systems and the back office.

The Association will specify communication protocols and hardware interfaces for full interoperability, so that Public Transport operators and authorities can specify certified Plug and Play functionality when they purchase new or upgraded IT systems. Common mechanisms, standards and protocols will allow them to use data for buses, rail, coaches and tramways anywhere in Europe.

Participating ITxPT members can access the ITxPT platform to test devices and applications in real operational conditions. The test bench will specify, test, qualify and showcase IT solutions, as well as evolving new solutions. Through the association, members will contribute their collective knowledge and expertise, to dedicated working groups.

Radio communications and ITxPT

Tait Communications has joined ITxPT as a Principal Member, alongside a wide eco-system of key transport stakeholders. (To date, Tait is the only radio communications company to join.)

“In the communications world, we champion open-standards technology,” says John Gardener, Chief Technology Officer of Tait Communications in Europe. “In joining the ITxPT initiative we aim to contribute to the development of these standards for the public-transport sector.”

Tait has been providing critical communication solutions to transport operators and authorities for nearly 50 years and is committed to interoperable, open-standards-based solutions. By connecting intelligent transport system (ITS) infrastructure in the control centre, on the streets and in vehicles, Tait data transmission and high-reliability voice communication provide operators with tools that greatly enhance passenger service.

Source: ITxPT

Tait has long standing relationships with ITS providers and leading transport authorities and operators in the UK (London, Dublin, Edinburgh), the Czech Republic (Pilsen), the United States (Portland, Oregon) and Australia (Queensland) to design, implement and commission communication solutions.

“This rich seam of knowledge and experience allows us to influence and drive discussions with ITxPT’s broad membership of vehicle manufacturers and operators, transport authorities, ITS, application and service providers around the world,” John Gardener says. As an example, the IT architecture developed in the European Bus System of the Future project and the Transport for London trial has paved the way for cost-effective deployment of on board digital systems and back office applications on the vehicles.

“Open standards are a core aspect of the solutions and services we offer and advocate for, whether it is with the FCC in the USA, ETSI in Europe or 3GPP on the development of global cellular standards. The ultimate goal is to be in the position where, regardless of the sector our customers operate in, communications interoperability and vehicle integration is a given,” says John.

Who are ITxPT members?

]]>https://blog.taitradio.com/2018/08/27/forging-new-ict-open-standards-for-public-transport/feed/0Tait DMR: Open Standards, Partnership, Flexibility and Choicehttps://blog.taitradio.com/2018/08/20/tait-dmr-open-standards-partnership-flexibility-and-choice/
https://blog.taitradio.com/2018/08/20/tait-dmr-open-standards-partnership-flexibility-and-choice/#respondMon, 20 Aug 2018 04:00:21 +0000https://blog.taitradio.com/?p=8931The Tait DMR digital communications platform offers a powerful combination of control, flexibility, and resiliency for organizations large and small. Tait supports the open standards set by the DMR Association, not only for compatibility between radio vendors, but more importantly for the add on application providers that extend DMR solutions.

The open standards ecosystem that Tait has developed is delivering customers more value with the freedom to choose what they need now, and the ability to adapt and evolve over time. There is an extensive network of Tait technology partners, that can be implemented in a combined solution.

Tait DMR – A Smart Investment, Made to Evolve

As a trusted market-leader in DMR Tier 3, Tait has built up a strong, unparalleled offering that has proven to be a smart investment. We’ve worked hard and used our decades of experience and knowledge to continually enhance our DMR platform. With aspects like data services beyond voice and DMR, industry-leading network performance, and simple, secure configuration and management, it’s easy to see what makes Tait DMR Tier 3 an intelligent choice. Read more about these features here.

Affordable Options, High Quality, More Value

While Tait DMR Tier 3 is an excellent choice for organizations that need a communications system that has many additional capabilities beyond just a voice and data network, Tait DMR Tier 2 is the smart choice for smaller, cost-conscious organizations who are still looking to enjoy the benefits of digital. With a lower total cost of operation than Tier 3, Tait DMR Tier 2 offers more coverage and capacity than analog networks, while still providing a flexible, seamless evolution path to upgrade to Tier 3 should your needs change.

Tait DMR is also available on simulcast networks, providing another option for critical communications over wide geographic areas. Tait DMR simulcast networks can be stand-alone, or integrated into a larger non-simulcast Tait DMR network for specific coverage issues. Download this flyer to find out more.

Partner Highlight: Omnitronics Dispatch Solutions for Tait DMR

Our large, dedicated network of technology partners offer a wide range of solutions for both Tait DMR Tier 2 and 3. Tait works closely with our partners to provide customers with the most ideal solution to suit their requirements. Due to our strong collaborations and shared dedication to serving our customers, these partnerships result in high-quality options that fit both organizational needs and budgets.

A prime example is the RediTALK-Flex-Lite Dispatch offering from our partner Omnitronics.Available exclusively on Tait DMR Tier 2 networks, the RediTALK-Flex-Lite is optimized for users with smaller numbers of channels and operators in the field. It’s feature-rich with advanced digital voice and integrated data services, providing a lower-cost solution without compromising on quality.

Omnitronics also offers the RediTALK-Flex, a powerful and fully functional dispatch console that simplifies the routine tasks of dispatchers. Designed for small to medium dispatch centers, the RediTALK-Flex integrates easily and seamlessly into Tait networks, and offers a range of add-on features that enable organizations to customize the console as they need.

To learn more about DMR as a standard and what it can offer, check out this free course from the Tait Radio Academy: Introduction to DMR. You’ll learn the basics of DMR, the differences between the Tiers, and much more.

]]>https://blog.taitradio.com/2018/08/20/tait-dmr-open-standards-partnership-flexibility-and-choice/feed/0Best Practice Guide: Three Steps to Define Coverage Goals for a Successful Projecthttps://blog.taitradio.com/2018/08/01/best-practice-guide-three-steps-to-define-coverage-goals-for-a-successful-project/
https://blog.taitradio.com/2018/08/01/best-practice-guide-three-steps-to-define-coverage-goals-for-a-successful-project/#respondWed, 01 Aug 2018 04:00:07 +0000https://blog.taitradio.com/?p=8904Without doubt, the single most important property of any radio network is coverage. Since coverage engineering may be the most complex area of the radio system specification and design process, it is a critical area where your time investment will be well justified. While it may seem sensible and understandable to simply have a goal of coverage that is “the same as or better than the existing network,” statements like this are hard to quantify, and can lead to misunderstandings and difficulties in testing and proving success.

The Importance of Accurate Coverage Goals

Coverage goals that are ambiguous or unclear lead to ongoing frustration, project delays, and often unnecessary expense for both the customer and vendor. It’s critical to define coverage goals accurately so that system engineers can design, test, and verify that the new network is exactly what is wanted and needed. Properly-defined coverage goals sow the seeds for a successful project.

A properly-defined coverage goal must be:

–able to be designed against (so both parties know when the design meets the goal)

–testable and repeatable (so coverage can be tested against the goal once the network is built)

–unambiguous (so it is clear to both the vendor and customer when the goal has been met)

Three Steps to Successful Coverage Goals

For coverage engineers to effectively and efficiently design a radio system, the coverage goals must include answers to three critical questions:

1. What is the minimum acceptable quality of service?

You can define this as one (or more) of the following, which together describe what a user can reasonably expect:

Received Signal Strength (RSSI) can be used for analog or digital, voice or data radio systems.

Delivered Audio Quality (DAQ) can be used for analog or digital radio systems – usually for voice communications.

Bit Error Rate (BER) can be used for digital voice or data communications.

Message Error Rate (MER) can only be used for digital radio systems – usually for data communications.

2. How much area reliability?

This is the average reliability of communication within the service area.

If service (or covered) area reliability is 95%, a user anywhere within that area has a 95% chance that they will have the minimum or better acceptable level of service.

Reliability is usually 90% for Utilities and 95% for Public Safety systems.

3. Where must this occur?

This can be defined as either:

Covered area – the area within which communication is predicted to meet or exceed the minimum criteria, or

Service area – the area within which coverage has to meet or exceed the minimum criteria.

This free guide offers a best practice look at how to refine your answers to these questions to give you and your chosen vendor the best possible chance of completing a successful project. You’ll also find examples of properly worded coverage goals, reasons and examples of why poorly worded goals won’t work, and other important information to consider.

]]>https://blog.taitradio.com/2018/08/01/best-practice-guide-three-steps-to-define-coverage-goals-for-a-successful-project/feed/0New Mining White Paper: Digging Deeper with Digitalhttps://blog.taitradio.com/2018/07/25/new-mining-white-paper-digging-deeper-with-digital/
https://blog.taitradio.com/2018/07/25/new-mining-white-paper-digging-deeper-with-digital/#respondWed, 25 Jul 2018 04:00:39 +0000https://blog.taitradio.com/?p=8846This white paper from Tait Communications focuses on the resource extraction industry, and how companies are harnessing the power of digital communications to address falling revenue and profits. Driven by today’s communications revolution, these companies are assessing their options for critical communications and how they can help grow their future business.

For almost a decade, companies which made money out of digging for coal, iron ore, diamonds, gold and other commodities have tumbled from their position as $1.8 trillion market value leaders to investment losers, simply treading water to stay afloat. Over this time, demand dropped sharply, commodity prices slid, and investors withdrew – while operating costs remained high.

While pricing and demand remain outside the control of mining companies, the industrial problems they face present opportunities to reduce risk and take control of future business.

This free white paper summarizes the challenges this industry faces, describes solutions that have already been implemented, and validates the role that critical communications will play in the mines of the future.

You can also read real case studies of how Tait has helped mining, oil, and gas customers by clicking here.

]]>https://blog.taitradio.com/2018/07/25/new-mining-white-paper-digging-deeper-with-digital/feed/0Client Story: Tait digital radio helps keep Quitman safehttps://blog.taitradio.com/2018/07/13/client-story-tait-digital-radio-helps-keep-quitman-safe/
https://blog.taitradio.com/2018/07/13/client-story-tait-digital-radio-helps-keep-quitman-safe/#respondFri, 13 Jul 2018 01:42:57 +0000https://blog.taitradio.com/?p=8872Quitman Fire District are the local fire department for Quitman, a small village located in the northwest corner of Jackson Parish, in the state of Louisiana, USA. The Fire Chief and 30 volunteers are responsible for the village’s firefighting, EMS, rescue calls, and fire prevention education.

The fire district had been operating on an old short range radio network, but found this to be unreliable. Read on to learn about the much improved Tait solution they’ve adopted.The old radios would frequently experience interference with those of other organizations, meaning that firefighters would have to wait for the the channel to free up before making a call. Every second is critical in an emergency, so Philip Brown, Fire Chief, enlisted Charlie Edwards from the Charlie Edwards LLC company to help put an end to their communication woes.

Charlie, a two-way land mobile radio specialist, came up with a solution using Tait powered* P25 TP9400 portable and TM9400 mobile radios which the firefighters were absolutely delighted with. Quitman Fire District now has clear coverage right across their territory – even in areas with no cellphone coverage – and without unintentional cross-over to other organizations’ frequencies. Watch the video below to get the full story, and see Charlie Edwards demonstrate the TP9400 being Tait Tough!

*Tait Powered Solutions are available exclusively from Harris Corporation in North America.

Tait Communications is increasing the resources it is devoting to information security, with the appointment of Ashish Dutta to the role of Chief Information Security Officer. Ashish, who has been with Tait since 2012, is an ISACA CISM®-certified Information Security Manager with significant experience in the positioning, delivery and management of ICT managed services and information security.

Our Managed Services division recently had its certification under ISO27001 reconfirmed. The international best-practice standard is for information security standards globally. Tait first reached compliance with the standard in 2013-14 and was first certified by external audit in January 2016. Annual audits since then have successfully resulted in re-certification.

“Expectations from the market verticals we serve are continually evolving and information security is one area where we are seeing increasing customer demand for best-practice performance,” Ashish says. “We also see this in the wider commercial regulatory sphere, with changes like Europe’s recent improvements to data privacy for citizens – the General Data Protection Regulation – being a good example.

“At Tait, we’ve always had a strong security culture, with a high degree of awareness among our people and commercial partners,” he says. “We aim to continue this and ensure we gain and retain all appropriate accreditations and that good security practices remain integral to our way of working in our offices, systems and products. Gaining certification under ISO27001 for our managed services business is an example of that determination.”

Read more on what network operators need to understand about cyber security in our White Paper “Critical Infrastructure Security Guide 1“. This guide provides information on the importance of cyber security on our communications networks, and introduces important concepts and ideas, as you begin to strengthen and secure your network.

]]>https://blog.taitradio.com/2018/07/11/tait-appoints-chief-information-security-officer/feed/1Rugged radios and beyond: Tait Tough networks from start to finishhttps://blog.taitradio.com/2018/07/11/rugged-radios-and-beyond-tait-tough-networks-from-start-to-finish/
https://blog.taitradio.com/2018/07/11/rugged-radios-and-beyond-tait-tough-networks-from-start-to-finish/#respondWed, 11 Jul 2018 04:30:06 +0000https://blog.taitradio.com/?p=8863The world is a tough place, and our clients have demanding jobs. They need critical communications that can withstand the challenging conditions they face each day. That’s why Tait offers complete communications systems that are reliable, resilient, and downright tough, from start to finish. Read on for an introduction to how we create a comprehensive, durable critical communications solution, and hear from some of our customers about their own experiences.

The Toughest Radios in the Industry

For users in the field, it starts with our renowned Tait Tough portables. They’ve been crushed by tanks, dropped by drones, tossed in the ocean, and even run through a dishwasher – and they still work afterwards. We’ve engineered our portables to be the most rugged radios ever made, and they’ve been tested and proven to survive even in the harshest environments.

“My tower guy accidentally dropped a Tait radio from a 100 meter tall tower – the radio is safe – and your repeater is not a repeater, it’s a tank! I always say all others are toys!”
-Francisco Trigo, Manager, Conectia, Buenos Aires

In addition to being tough, Tait portables are also lightweight, easy to use, and equipped with features that enhance safety and efficiency for users. The Tait Tough portable series is available for both P25 and DMR networks, and are built with open standards to ensure interoperability between vendors and other organizations.

And it’s not just radios; Tait offer solutions that enable you to integrate rugged smartphones into your radio network, further enhancing your communications capabilities.

Strong, Secure Platforms

Tait networks offer market-leading security across both P25 and DMR platforms, allowing organizations to protect their radio system from external attack, avoid accidental network damage, and prevent unauthorized access. AES encryption, physical and environmental alarm interfaces, and remote-disable features help organizations meet privacy and confidentiality regulations and requirements.

Tait P25 is also equipped with an award-winning key management facility and end-to-end encryption.

“The crime indices have decreased. Now in São Paulo, you hear of very few bank robberies or many other crimes that used to be common. Often criminals used to follow police activity but not anymore. Now we have the security of our encryption keys.”
-Joilton Chaves, Chief of Telecommunications, São Paulo Civil Police

Durable Mobiles

To withstand the extreme temperatures and jostling that occur on the road, Tait mobiles were designed with users in mind to ensure effective everyday operations. They’re IP54 rated to protect against dust and splashing water, exceed MIL-STD-810G, and feature a covert microphone and stealth emergency modes. To further enhance user safety, our mobiles have Lone Worker and a programmable orange emergency key, while the TM9400 supports end-to-end encryption (including AES).

“It exceeds my expectations. As far as the communications system, the radio product, the product you sold me is excellent.”
-Terry Bradshaw, Fire Chief, Carroll County, Tennessee

Resilient Core Networks

With a range of dual redundancy and fail-soft configurations, mirrored system elements, and fall-back modes Tait networks offer industry-leading reliability when it matters most. Along with redundant linking and dual traffic paths, Tait designs networks so that our systems keep working even if problems occur, ensuring that users can rely on always getting through.

“There’s a hundred-percent confidence in the Tait Communications system that people are going to be able to get through when they need to.”
-Rick Dobbe, Communications Engineer, Black Hills Power, South Dakota

Total Network Control – In the Palm of Your Hand

The Tait Enable Suite is a comprehensive package of radio management software that gives you complete visibility and control of your entire radio fleet from a central point. With the Tait Enable range, you can:

Configure and update your fleet over the air

Monitor the health of your network in real-time

Secure your network with access management tools

Since only authorized users are permitted onto the network, Tait Enable ensures the security of your communications while offering peace of mind that everything is up-to-date and functioning as it should.

“Tait EnableFleet added value to our business and was a great asset in managing the deployment of new radio configurations. Not only was the deployment made easier for the installers in not having to manage multiple files in the field, we now have far greater reporting on the state of devices in terms of Hardware, Firmware and Configuration.”
-Tony Howard, Solution Specialist, St John New Zealand

Time and again, across the world, Tait products and networks have proven tough. But it doesn’t stop there. Download our new Tait Tough brochure to find out more about these solutions, including how we can help you go beyond just radio with Tait Unified solutions.

]]>https://blog.taitradio.com/2018/07/11/rugged-radios-and-beyond-tait-tough-networks-from-start-to-finish/feed/0Taking the next leap in critical communications: Tait CEO talks strategyhttps://blog.taitradio.com/2018/06/26/taking-the-next-leap-in-critical-communications-tait-ceo-talks-strategy/
https://blog.taitradio.com/2018/06/26/taking-the-next-leap-in-critical-communications-tait-ceo-talks-strategy/#respondTue, 26 Jun 2018 08:00:20 +0000https://blog.taitradio.com/?p=8844“Tait has made a decision that it wants to be part of a wider ecosystem of multiple partners to create a broader solution,” said Tait CEO Garry Diack at this year’s Critical Communications World in Berlin.

In an interview with Gert Jan Wolf, Mr. Diack discussed the change in Tait’s organizational structure and explained why this – along with the new Tait UnifiedVehicle mobile application platform – is key to developing the company into a software-enabled critical communications business.

Watch the full interview below.

Mr. Diack acknowledged that along with huge opportunity in the fast-evolving digitization of the critical communications sector comes an extremely competitive market, which has influenced the company’s structural change.

“There needs to be quite a bit of investment that goes into the next generation of where critical communications goes. A truly radio-centric business like Tait has to start developing ability in more software-enabled applications that will sit on top of the digital technology,” said Mr. Diack. “The opportunities that exist for us – not just here but in other parts of the world – are now widening so much that we need additional sources of capital to put into the development that I think is going to be required.”

Tait UnifiedVehicle with AppBuilder is leading this charge for Tait, giving customers the ability to build their own custom applications on top of the Tait UnifiedVehicle digital platform.

“The ability to build applications on top of that digital platform is really important to the customers, and that’s what they’re buying. They’re buying the ability not just to have the digital platform, but to design their own applications and how they might use that digital platform to improve what they want to do,” said Mr. Diack.

Mr. Diack concluded the interview by explaining Tait’s two-prong strategy for taking the company forward: take the concept of physics-based manufactured radio technology to where the customer wants to go, and integrate communications with wider enterprise-based customer activity through software-based applications.

“We need to partner up with those who are already in this space – like some of the network providers – so that we are going to the customer with an integrated solution,” said Mr. Diack.

]]>https://blog.taitradio.com/2018/06/26/taking-the-next-leap-in-critical-communications-tait-ceo-talks-strategy/feed/0Staying Connected in Hazardous Areas: Intrinsically Safe Deviceshttps://blog.taitradio.com/2018/06/19/staying-connected-in-hazardous-areas-intrinsically-safe-devices/
https://blog.taitradio.com/2018/06/19/staying-connected-in-hazardous-areas-intrinsically-safe-devices/#respondTue, 19 Jun 2018 04:19:06 +0000https://blog.taitradio.com/?p=8805For many field workers in hazardous environments, the key to getting the job done and remaining safe lies in the tools they use to communicate.

But there are some cases where portable radios aren’t always the best fit for certain users or jobs. Maybe a task requires use of broadband data, or a specific software application. The solution to maintaining the reliable communications provided by IS radios while offering increased capabilities lies in integrating radio and smartphone systems. In hazardous areas, this integration is possible with Intrinsically Safe smartphones.

Much like IS radios, Intrinsically Safe smartphones – like the Ecom Smart-Ex 01 – are engineered to operate safely in hazardous environments, and meet global IS standards.

Here are some of the ways adding an IS smartphone to your critical communications network can benefit your workers.

Keeping users connected

Integrating Push-To-Talk over Cellular (PTToC) applications – like Tait’s solution – with radio equipment enables people to choose the best device for their situation and still communicate with each other. This can significantly extend the capability of any team to utilize the dedicated coverage, reliability and off-network calls that radio provides and bring in smartphone users who are offsite or don’t usually carry a radio.

Connectivity is enhanced further in conjunction with a mobile platform like Tait UnifiedVehicle. The WiFi to Cellular bridge provided by UnifiedVehicle supports PTToC applications by delivering additional range and increased data speeds to areas where coverage is a challenge.

Enhancing user safety

Along with the enhanced safety that comes with constant, reliable voice communications, IS smartphones and IS radios share a range of built-in features that further support worker safety, such as Man Down, Lone Worker, GPS location tracking and “glove friendly” Push-To-Talk. IS smartphones provide additional safety options including navigation, indoor tracking, access to worker safety applications, and a touch screen that’s usable with dirty or wet work gloves.

Just like Tait Tough IS portable radios (TP9361 for DMR and TP9461 for P25), the robustness of the IS smartphone itself gives workers peace of mind that their communications equipment will withstand their tough working conditions and continue functioning, giving them reliable access to the voice and data features designed to keep them safe. This allows them to stay focused on the task at hand while trusting they can call for help if needed. Rugged and functional features include loud speakers, noise cancellation, powerful batteries, and water and drop resistance.

Increasing worker efficiency

High capacity for applications means you can load smartphones with programs and applications specifically suited to your needs, giving your workers access to productivity-enhancing tools. Since IS smartphones safely operate in hazardous environments, users can remain on site and use these applications via their smartphone, rather than exiting the area to go log records or receive data and information. This saves time, and allows them to work both smarter and safer.

The role of data in critical communications is growing every day, and with it grows the range of applications available. IS smartphones use operating systems that support a wide variety of applications. The Ecom Smart-Ex 01, for example, has Google certification to run over 700,000 software applications. Applications can help with a wide range of efficacy-increasing tasks, including things like route management, scheduling, integrity inspections, condition monitoring, asset management, process automation, and much more.

Many companies have application libraries – like the Ecom App Library – with a large offering to help you realize the full potential of an IS mobile device. Watch the video below for some more examples.

Learn more about Intrinsically Safe standards with our free whitepaper, available here. You can also take our free Radio Academy course to help you understand what the different Intrinsically Safe ratings mean, introduce the different global regulations, and increase your understanding of IS communications.

If you’re looking to enhance your current LMR network with Intrinsically Safe smartphones and would like to discuss the options available, get in touch with us here. Or find out more about our PTToC solution by clicking here.

]]>https://blog.taitradio.com/2018/06/19/staying-connected-in-hazardous-areas-intrinsically-safe-devices/feed/0Radio fleet management made easy: why organizations are choosing EnableFleethttps://blog.taitradio.com/2018/06/11/radio-fleet-management-made-easy-why-organizations-are-choosing-enablefleet/
https://blog.taitradio.com/2018/06/11/radio-fleet-management-made-easy-why-organizations-are-choosing-enablefleet/#respondMon, 11 Jun 2018 09:19:12 +0000https://blog.taitradio.com/?p=8660Radio fleet management is easier and more accessible than ever before with Tait EnableFleet, an industry-leading configuration management system that provides a fast, easy-to-use, secure and controlled way to manage fleet configurations and changes. The cloud-hosted system makes it an affordable, smart choice for organizations large or small.

Using over-the-air-programming (OTAP), EnableFleet is the only system that can deliver firmware updates to a radio over a DMR Tier 3 or P25 trunked system. TM9300 or TM9400 mobiles fitted with Tait UnifiedVehicle can receive configuration, license, and firmware updates over WiFi networks, independently of whether these radios operate in analog or digital, conventional or trunked networks.

Users of EnableFleet have found it to be a valuable tool that has improved processes and performance across their organizations.

“Tait EnableFleet added value to our business and was a great asset in managing the deployment of new radio configurations. The simplicity in being able to set the configuration for each radio eliminated mistakes in programming and gave us confidence that the deployment was being undertaken efficiently and without error. Not only was the deployment made easier for the installers in not having to manage multiple files in the field, we now have far greater reporting on the state of devices in terms of Hardware, Firmware and Configuration.”
–Tony Howard, Solution Specialist, St John New Zealand

Talk to someone at Tait about how EnableFleet can simplify and secure your radio management here.

Efficiency and Visibility

By sending software and firmware upgrades and programming wirelessly, OTAP allows you to update your radio fleet without calling users in from the field or suspending operations to connect their radios via cables. Users can continue going about their tasks, and a scheduled update will commence automatically when the radio is switched on and not in use.

Since EnableFleet delivers real-time, accurate and reliable fleet information, it also makes it easy to quickly identify, support, and solve issues. All information on fleet changes is logged, clearly displaying which user carried out what task, and when. If an upgrade fails, EnableFleet’s ability to capture and store this information aids network support staff in analyzing problems that may have occurred with individual radios.

Even if you choose not to use OTAP, EnableFleet is an effective way to manage your fleet and control programming files. EA Networks, a co-operative network company in New Zealand, finds use of EnableFleet’s audit trails to have had great benefit:

“EnableFleet has made it very simple for us to manage our radios and has also simplified the recent update of our network. EnableFleet made it so much easier for me to keep track of where we were at during the upgrade.”
–Myles Connew, Operations Manager, EA Networks

Simplicity and Security

Rather than dedicating one person to fleet management, EnableFleet allows organizations to give a range of people access to carry out installations and upgrades and is easy enough to use that you don’t need to be a specialist. Access is secure behind registered accounts, and offers optional additional layers of protection with Tait EnableProtect Advanced System Key.

“The real benefit to us with EnableFleet is that I can have either our supplier or Tait make changes to our different radio programs remotely, and we only need someone with a laptop to plug into the radios to implement the changes. For a small company like us where radios are just a tool to help us carry out our core business, having products like this that allow for us not to have a dedicated radio person on the payroll and is a huge saving.”
–Myles Connew, Operations Manager, EA Networks

Regardless of which user initiates the update, each one is done securely and consistently across the fleet. The recorded audit trails ensure any change can be traced back to the time and particular user that carried it out.

Versatile value

From public safety and emergency response – like Country Fire Services – to utilities and transportation agencies – like Queensland Rail – users around the world have discovered the value EnableFleet adds to their organization. And since the cloud-hosting capability makes it an affordable tool that even the smallest organization can benefit from, EnableFleet is the smart choice for best-practice fleet management – no matter your industry or size.

Talk to someone at Tait about how EnableFleet can simplify and secure your radio management here.

Click here to learn more about Tait EnableFleet and how it can help your organization.

You can also find out about the other Tait Enable solutions that offer mission-critical organizations unique tools to monitor, manage, protect, and report on your communications network.

]]>https://blog.taitradio.com/2018/06/11/radio-fleet-management-made-easy-why-organizations-are-choosing-enablefleet/feed/0Working for the Future by Respecting the Past: Tait Celebrates National Reconciliation Weekhttps://blog.taitradio.com/2018/06/07/working-for-the-future-by-respecting-the-past-tait-celebrates-national-reconciliation-week/
https://blog.taitradio.com/2018/06/07/working-for-the-future-by-respecting-the-past-tait-celebrates-national-reconciliation-week/#respondWed, 06 Jun 2018 20:00:07 +0000https://blog.taitradio.com/?p=8800This year’s celebrations for National Reconciliation Week (NRW) in Australia took place from May 27 – June 3, with events across the country commemorating the shared histories of the wider Australian community and the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

Tait supports Reconciliation Australia to help with their mission to inspire and enable all Australians to contribute to the reconciliation of the nation. An important cause that should not be overlooked, funds for reconciliation are often lacking, but it is a purpose that has been a key requirement throughout Tait’s history.

As part of our social responsibility, Tait has always worked hard to be respectful of indigenous land. In places like Australia and New Zealand, these areas are always taken into consideration when designing Tait radio networks. Generally, sacred land tends to be on hilltops – which is usually the best location for tower or repeater sites – but our design engineers always observe the sacredness of these areas and never build sites on this land. Instead, we look for alternatives that provide equally reliable coverage while maintaining the integrity of indigenous land.

As part of this year’s celebrations, the Tait Brisbane office hosted a breakfast and invited a local Elder to speak about some of the first people who settled in Australia.

Songwoman Maroochy performs a traditional prayer

Elder Songwoman Maroochy, the Songwoman and Law-woman of the Turrbal People – the original inhabitants of Brisbane – spoke to the audience about the challenges they face in today’s society, and how they manage to overcome struggles and continue moving forward.

Attendees were also treated to a rendition of “Monda Barita”- a traditional blessings prayer that asks ancestors and the almighty to be with all those at the gathering. Songwoman Maroochy performed the prayer in the Turrbal language.

After her formal address, the audience was given the opportunity to ask Songwoman Maroochy questions while enjoying refreshments and reflecting on the stories she shared. Also among the crowd were Tait customers and partners, invited along to share the meaning of NRW with the Tait Brisbane staff.

Songwoman Maroochy with attendees at the Tait Brisbane breakfast

Moving forward, Tait will use an indigenous-focused recruitment agency to assist with maintaining a culturally aware and diverse environment. We are proud to raise awareness for reconciliation and encourage others in Australia to do so too.

Inspired by our founder, Sir Angus Tait, Tait Communications continues to embrace social responsibility as a core purpose. Click here to read about our Corporate Social Responsibility policy, or check out our Core Values to see what drives us to serve you every day. You can also see the other causes we support by clicking here.

]]>https://blog.taitradio.com/2018/06/07/working-for-the-future-by-respecting-the-past-tait-celebrates-national-reconciliation-week/feed/0Tait proud to host Techweekhttps://blog.taitradio.com/2018/05/25/tait-proud-to-host-techweek/
https://blog.taitradio.com/2018/05/25/tait-proud-to-host-techweek/#respondFri, 25 May 2018 00:30:44 +0000https://blog.taitradio.com/?p=8783Tait Communications is proud to host and contribute to number of events during Techweek, New Zealand’s annual festival of innovation, 19th – 27th May 2018.

Tait Communicatons CEO Garry Diack opened the New Zealand Hi Tech Awards Alumni Event, hosted at the Tait campus in Christchurch. Garry spoke about Tait founder Sir Angus Tait and how proud he would be to see his vision come to pass of a growing and healthy community of technology businesses. Sir Angus was the inaugural winner of the Flying Kiwi Lifetime Achievement category in the awards, and the company today sponsors that Award. It and others will be announced at the gala dinner in Christchurch.

Tait is also hosting the final headline event for NZ Tech Week. The Fourth Revolution is exploring the elements, systems and attitudes which manufacturing is harnessing to help its customers benefit from the power of information. Tait CEO Garry Diack opened the event, explaining that a deep part of Tait culture is to encourage collaboration within the industry and to celebrate success.

Follow the events of Techweek and learn more about the bright future of innovation in New Zealand.

]]>https://blog.taitradio.com/2018/05/25/tait-proud-to-host-techweek/feed/0Rugged Smartphones for tough jobs – keeping users connectedhttps://blog.taitradio.com/2018/05/16/rugged-smartphones-for-tough-jobs-keeping-users-connected/
https://blog.taitradio.com/2018/05/16/rugged-smartphones-for-tough-jobs-keeping-users-connected/#respondWed, 16 May 2018 11:00:42 +0000https://blog.taitradio.com/?p=8754Tait knows tough. The organizations we serve have some of the toughest jobs in the world. Extreme environments, challenging tasks, and risky situations mean users need reliable communications to keep them in touch with their teams. To do that, they need communications tools that are rugged enough to withstand the harsh conditions they’re exposed to every day.

Along with reliable voice communications, the modern workforce increasingly demands access to data and applications that can keep them better connected, safe, and productive in the field. The solution? The rugged smartphone. Here are four reasons adding rugged smartphones to your critical communications network is a smart choice.

1) Durable, rugged hardware

Robust smartphones like the Sonim XP7 are built with features that make them ideal for surviving harsh environments:

Impact resistant

Oil and chemical resistant

Pressure resistant

Puncture resistant

Shock/vibration resistant

Waterproof

Combined with their long battery life and resilient touch screens that are still easily viewed in direct sunlight, rugged smartphones are able to withstand even the toughest conditions.

Don’t believe a smartphone can be as tough as Tait portables? Watch below as Sonim breaks a world record for the highest mobile phone drop.

2) Data and applications

Use of data and applications adds powerful capabilities to smartphones, and a rugged smartphone means even those working in extreme conditions can take advantage without worrying their device will fail. Rugged smartphones provide users with access to a wide range of applications that can do everything from improve their productivity through to enhance their safety.

3) Integrating cellular and radio networks

Push-to-talk over cellular (PTToC) solutions – like Tait’s solution – mean you can use a rugged smartphone for all of its enhanced functional and data capabilities, and still communicate over your reliable, organization-wide radio network. By bridging the gap between radio and cellular users, PTToC allows your workforce to use the device that suits them best, while maintaining the instant communication a radio network provides.

Source: 2017 Tait Customer Survey

4) Simplicity of use

Since many users have a smartphone for their own personal use, they are likely to already be familiar with the interfaces and operating systems of smartphones. This cuts down on training, and allows them to continue to use a device they are comfortable with. Glove-friendly displays mean they can easily use the touchscreen without removing their protective gear, and the PTToC function requires the simple push of a button – and they’re connected.

Smartphones and radio – working together for the future of critical communcations

The world of critical communications is heading towards true unified critical communications – seamlessly connecting multiple bearers and devices across networks to provide enhanced connectivity and data like never before. Thanks to solutions like PTToC, rugged smartphones now fit into this narrative, enabling users to choose devices that best suit them while remaining in constant contact across the radio network.

Contact us to request more information or pricing on any of our solutions.

]]>https://blog.taitradio.com/2018/05/16/rugged-smartphones-for-tough-jobs-keeping-users-connected/feed/0Inside the Tait factory: ensuring the quality of a million parts per dayhttps://blog.taitradio.com/2018/05/16/inside-the-tait-factory-ensuring-the-quality-of-a-million-parts-per-day/
https://blog.taitradio.com/2018/05/16/inside-the-tait-factory-ensuring-the-quality-of-a-million-parts-per-day/#respondWed, 16 May 2018 11:00:02 +0000https://blog.taitradio.com/?p=8602Tait serves organizations around the world with high-quality products designed and built in our Christchurch, New Zealand headquarters. Since not everyone gets a chance to visit our factory, we’re often asked for some insight into how our manufacturing process works.

Designing and developing our products in-house allows us to be agile, flexible, and complete quick turnarounds for our customers. This is no small feat, considering that parts of our factory produce around a million parts per day, and each product undergoes multiple quality checks along the production line. To keep up with this demand, areas of the Tait factory operate 24 hours a day, five days a week.

“Quality is built into everything that we do, but we check everything anyway.”

-Dean Mischewski, Tait Manufacturing Engineering Manager

Watch below for a more in-depth look at how we ensure quality, and do our best to use lean manufacturing to keep costs down for our customers.

We’ve also put together another short video showing our assembly process, and how it ensures our customers receive the highest-quality products.

Watch as a Tait portable radio and base station get built from start to finish, making their way down the production line from our specialized machinery to their final assembly and checks by our highly-skilled operators.

And speaking of tough, make sure your network is as strong as your equipment. Download our free whitepaper, 10 Ways to Protect and Strengthen Your LMR System, to help ensure that your communications system won’t fail when your people need it most.

Instead of being shipped inside a foam insert, the TB7300 equipment will be packed in a molded structure formed of recycled paper fiber, much like the material used for egg cartons. Testing showed the new insert outperforms the current foam insert in protecting the valuable equipment from vibration and being dropped.

“I was thinking there must be a more environmentally friendly way to package our base station products as opposed to the current solution of using a foam insert,” Malcolm says.

A Tait base station in the new packaging

Molded fiber packaging is extensively used for fruit packing in New Zealand, but the makers weren’t interested in working with Malcolm because the demand didn’t meet their requirements. Unwilling to give up, he persisted in locating a supplier.

“I found an overseas supplier who I worked with to design a very innovative solution with two identical halves which interlock to protect our TB7300 base station through rough transport situations,” Malcolm says.

As a result, the TB7300 and TB7100 packaging will now be totally recyclable.

We strive for quality and innovation in everything we do. Click here for a behind-the-scenes look into our manufacturing facility, or click here for a peek into our Innovation Room, where employees like Malcolm work hard every day to develop cutting-edge solutions for our customers.

]]>https://blog.taitradio.com/2018/04/19/tait-engineers-initiative-leads-to-greener-packaging/feed/08 Reasons Utilities are Choosing Taithttps://blog.taitradio.com/2018/04/12/8-reasons-utilities-are-choosing-tait/
https://blog.taitradio.com/2018/04/12/8-reasons-utilities-are-choosing-tait/#respondWed, 11 Apr 2018 13:00:44 +0000https://blog.taitradio.com/?p=8693Tait has a long history of working with Utility customers – both large and small – around the world. Regardless of size, we work together with them to find the best-fit solution for their needs.

Although large Utility customers like Alliant Energy tend to get more press, Tait can also provide solutions to small and medium sized Utilities. In the words of those customers, here are 8 reasons Utilities are choosing Tait for their critical communications solutions.

1. Resilience during storms

Having a resilient grid is vital for any Utility company. To maintain its resiliency, it’s important to use resilient tools and platforms. One IT Specialist said, “Tait Communications has given us a platform for radio communications for all of our districts. In times of storms, we may be the only folks with communications along with emergency services.”

This ability to communicate, even when all others cannot, is essential for Utilities working to restore power. Another customer, Dennis Buchanan, outlined the importance of resilient and robust system:

“We have had numerous major storm outages since the installation of the Tait Network. In each and every case it has been robust in nature and has cut service restoral times significantly.

In one case, the system contributed to the saving of a lineman’s life. The emergency notification system led to his survival because the time of line contact, and notification to Dispatch, to being transported to the hospital was twenty minutes.”

2. Enhanced Worker Safety

Speaking of worker safety, Tait offers more than just an emergency notification system. There are several safety features built into the Tait system that are particularly important for Utilities. One Communications Technician highlighted the easy-to-use talk groups and Man Down capability as important safety features for his organization.

“The trunked system from Tait allows groups that travel all over the system to have a virtual private radio system. This lessens listener fatigue and makes it much easier to get hold of the intended party. Groups who take the time to get familiar with the system enjoy this benefit. This system also has an OSHA desired Man down capability, that increases safety.”

3. Increased Efficiency

Not only does the Tait system enhance safety, it also increases efficiency. It’s important to restore power as quickly as possible, and the Tait solution helps do this through both reliable voice and data communications. One engineer put it this way, “The Tait solution has helped increased efficiency and safety, due to the reliable system that meets the needs of end users.”

4. Interoperability

Many Utilities have multiple departments within their own organization, or need to work with neighboring Utilities or Emergency Services. Whatever your situation, Tait open standards and unified critical communications make communication simple. “Tait’s MPT 1327 system has made it possible to have interoperability between our different facilities and it integrates seamlessly with our phone systems. The AVL system provides greater safety to our workers in remote areas.”

5. Easy and Efficient Programming

Keeping your communications system up-to-date is an important job, but we’ve worked to make it as easy as possible. Your team can spend less time waiting on radios that need programming, and more time serving your customers.

An Engineer for a Medium sized Utility put it this way, “It is very easy to add/modify programming to effect changes that occur often in our generation facilities during our massive overhaul of generators. Our users know that within minutes of a technician arriving, new programming will be completed and they can go about their work.”

6. Ease of Migration to Digital

The task of moving from an analog communications network to a digital one can seem daunting. Although digital radio comes with many benefits, some wonder if it’s worth the trouble. The Tait team, however, offer migration planning and several paths to digital, “without the tears.”

One communications technician described the process of migrating with Tait in these words, “Tait migration planning allowed us to keep our analog system running, then switch to digital at the push of a button.”

7. Increased Morale for Users

When making a decision about your communications, you need to think about your users. Keeping them happy and motivated is key to running a successful company. One engineer explained why the Tait system has been great for his users: “Having a quality product to count on during normal work as well as during emergency situations provides a level of comfort that increases morale in the users.”

8. “It just works”

In simple words, the Tait system just works. When someone pushes the talk button on a Tait radio, they can trust their call to go through. Nothing is more frustrating, and even dangerous, than communications that can’t communicate, but customers find the Tait system works with resilience and reliability. “We’ve been operating a DMR Tier III Trunked 800 MHz system for over two years now. It has worked very well overall, and that is noteworthy. Not only would I recommend this product, but I have done so several times.”

If you’d like to learn more about these and other stories, you can find them in our Utility Customer Stories. We encourage you to check them out, and contact us if you’d like to discuss the possibilities around a communications solution for your Utility.

]]>https://blog.taitradio.com/2018/04/12/8-reasons-utilities-are-choosing-tait/feed/0Transport for London chooses Tait to upgrade 10,000-strong London bus fleethttps://blog.taitradio.com/2018/03/29/transport-for-london-chooses-tait-to-upgrade-10000-strong-london-bus-fleet/
https://blog.taitradio.com/2018/03/29/transport-for-london-chooses-tait-to-upgrade-10000-strong-london-bus-fleet/#respondThu, 29 Mar 2018 03:00:10 +0000https://blog.taitradio.com/?p=8674Tait Communications has been chosen by Transport for London (TfL) to replace the British capital city’s bus radio communications system with a new digital mobile radio system.

The agreement will see Christchurch-headquartered Tait Communications manufacture and replace both the communications infrastructure providing coverage across Greater London and the terminal equipment on London’s fleet of almost 10,000 buses. The contract was signed in London on March 23rd at an event hosted by New Zealand’s High Commissioner, His Excellency the Rt Hon. Sir Jerry Mateparae.

Every day, more than 31 million journeys are made across Transport for London’s public transport and main road networks and this critical communications upgrade is one element of TfL’s investment to extend and improve the British capital’s transport network.

Tait Communications has designed the upgraded system to be both a resilient system for today’s every-day needs and as a digital platform for future health and safety effectiveness and operational efficiency. The on-bus equipment is based on Tait’s Unified Vehicle platform, which gives access to multiple carrier standards in addition to mobile radio (ie, next-generation cellular and WiFi), and the ability to run customized data applications to improve operational efficiency and the service provided to travelers.

Garry Diack, Chief Executive of Tait Communications, says TfL’s decision is a strong vote of confidence from arguably one of the world’s most iconic brands in Tait’s technology development.

“This award was strongly contested through a rigorous process, and winning it against the major manufacturers in our industry worldwide is very gratifying,” Mr Diack says. “We have greatly valued our historical relationship with Transport for London and regard this very high-tech commitment to our future partnership with London’s millions of daily commuters as a massive return on the research and development focus Tait has undertaken over the last few years.

“The critical communications sector is in a time of rapid change and uncertainty, with customers being bombarded with many technical options and often more promise than reality on which technologies they should invest in. Tait is regarded as an expert and trusted development partner in Public Safety technology solutions, as this contract award testifies.

“We have a 50-year record of working alongside our customers to help them move to next-generation solutions and we are very much looking forward to continuing this journey with Transport for London.“

Simon Reed, Transport for London’s Head of Technology and Data: Surface Transport, says,

“We are pleased, that after a comprehensive procurement process, we have chosen Tait as our partner for the provision of voice radio services for Surface Transport.

“We have been careful to choose a solution that provides a low risk transition from the existing analogue technology, and also integrates well with the future vision of TfL with open standards based DMR technology and ease of integration with an ITxPT (IT for Public Transport) Principal Member.“

TfL’s bus network consists of over 650 contracted bus routes served by over 9500 vehicles with a network of over 19,000 bus stops.

Andrew Gill, the Managing Director of Tait Europe Middle East and Africa, says the extremely challenging procurement process run by TfL has resulted in real value for the customer and the travelling public.

“This model of procurement, one that allows for discussion and co-operative working between the customer and supplier, can foster wider competition and true long-term value for money. Tait’s Unified Vehicle digital platform that underpins this new solution creates the ability for TfL and Tait to partner in a long-term development relationship that will respond to TfL’s future and changing needs with agility and increased collaboration.

“In over 20 years in this industry, this has been one of the toughest and most robust processes I’ve worked on,” Mr Gill says. “At its core was TfL’s wish to foster a spirit of collaborative working with key suppliers and it’s this spirit which has allowed a mid-sized company to compete successfully against much larger competition.

“The decision to select Tait Communications means this crucial transport network will now move to an innovative, cost-effective solution that will assist Transport for London to continue improving its service to the public and be a model for other public transport providers. For Tait, this contract is reflective of our expanding UK-based business, with a growing team of experienced engineers and project managers, and new apprentices to ensure we keep growing and developing talent in the UK.“

For even more about how Tait solutions for transport keep citizens around the world moving, click here.

]]>https://blog.taitradio.com/2018/03/29/transport-for-london-chooses-tait-to-upgrade-10000-strong-london-bus-fleet/feed/0IWCE 2018: Recap and Highlightshttps://blog.taitradio.com/2018/03/19/iwce-2018-recap-and-highlights/
https://blog.taitradio.com/2018/03/19/iwce-2018-recap-and-highlights/#respondSun, 18 Mar 2018 12:00:18 +0000https://blog.taitradio.com/?p=8628Tait recently attended the 2018 IWCE conference in Orlando, Florida. IWCE is one of the largest and most well-attended events in the critical communications world. It was a busy week filled with great people and conversations. We’ve put together a summary of our booth for those of you who attended and want more information, or if you couldn’t attend the event and want to see what you missed.

Tait Technology Partner Forum

Did you know that Tait works with technology partners from all over the globe? We had the chance to meet with many of them Tuesday night before IWCE. Nearly 100 people filled the room to hear from the Tait leadership team.

The main message of the meeting was the important role our technology partners play in providing solutions to our customers around the globe. Tait is working to redefine critical communications, and we believe the innovative solutions that our technology partners bring to the table are vital to us fulfilling our vision.

Tait CEO, Garry Diack, addresses the Technology Partner Forum

More Choices with Harris and Tait

The Tait booth was next door to the Harris booth for good reason. Harris Corp is our exclusive distributor in North America, and our combined portfolio provides more choices to our dealers and customers than ever before. From DMR Tier 2 solutions all the way to multiband P25 and LTE solutions, Harris and Tait have your critical communications needs covered. You can see and learn more about the Harris booth here.

Harris Booth IWCE

Visitors on the Tait booth and Harris booth

The Unified Solutions Portfolio

One of the most popular parts of the booth was about our Tait Unified Vehicle and Tait TeamPTT solutions. We demonstrated several apps that are available today for Tait Unified Vehicle, as well as explored some apps of the future. The Tait Remote App, for instance, allows users to use or control their mobile radio from their smartphone. This provides a lifeline for users who get hurt outside their vehicle, but also makes their job easier. Utility workers up bucket trucks or workers who step outside their vehicle for any reason can stay connected to their radio network and organization.

Exploring Tait Unified Vehicle on the Tait booth

Utility Solutions

Many of our Utility customers are looking for more than a basic voice solution, and we can provide just that. Our DMR Tier 3 networks can run both voice and data applications, like SCADA and telemetry solution GridLink, and Tait UnifiedVehicle is bringing even more applications to the table. You can get a full picture of the Utility solution checking out our interactive Utility solution page.

Click to learn more

DMR Tier 2 Solutions

Not only does Tait offer world class DMR Tier 3 solutions, but we now also offer DMR Tier 2 solutions. Visitors were able to see the TB7300 base station, the quad mode TP9300, the Omnitronics RediTalk Flex Lite console, and even a sneak peek at a new Tier 2 portable coming out this summer. DMR Tier 2 is becoming an increasingly popular solution for schools, hotels, manufacturing facilities, small Utilities, and much more. Needless to say, there was a lot of interest in the new portable and we’re excited to release more information later in the year – stay tuned!

Tait DMR Tier 2 Solutions

EnableSuite

Also on the booth was our EnableSuite for managing radio networks. Many were excited to learn about the new cloud based option for EnableFleet, making the productivity tool more accessible for smaller organizations. EnableFleet provides a simple, straightforward, and single source of information for managing your radio fleet. Programming and firmware updates can also be done through OTAP. Our solution only sends the differences, meaning that updates are quicker to make, even over the air.

The Tait EnableSuite Demo

Solutions for Public Safety

Last but not least was our solutions for Public Safety. We were able to talk about both our AS-IP network and the P25 Conventional networks. The Tait Linear Simulcast Modulation is making waves all around the country for it’s excellent coverage and ease of installation. We’re getting more and more positive feedback from both dealers and customers and are excited about the future for this future-proof solution.

Lastly, we want to thank everyone who stopped by and said hello during IWCE! We have great partners and customers all over the world, and it’s always refreshing and exciting for us to see so many in one place. If you missed us at IWCE, you can visit us at UTC in May or APCO in August.

]]>https://blog.taitradio.com/2018/03/19/iwce-2018-recap-and-highlights/feed/0Tait Communications: Our Core Valueshttps://blog.taitradio.com/2018/03/14/tait-communications-our-core-values/
https://blog.taitradio.com/2018/03/14/tait-communications-our-core-values/#respondTue, 13 Mar 2018 12:00:44 +0000https://blog.taitradio.com/?p=8578For decades, Tait has held to three core values: Commitment to Listen, Courage to Act, and Integrity to Deliver what we promise. Inspired by our founder, Sir Angus Tait, ​our values drive the way we aim to interact with our customers, employees, and the communities in which we operate. While we’re not always perfect in living these values, it is something we constantly strive to achieve.

Today we would like to explain what these values mean to us and provide some examples of how we’ve lived them out.

Commitment to Listen

Every Tait customer has unique needs, lives in distinct geographies and topographies, and works to achieve specific goals. Because of this, we know that one size does not fit all. That’s why we listen to our customers and design solutions that enable clear communication and support the unique needs of each organization.

Dean Hane manages the MACC 9-1-1 radio communications infrastructure and system, dispatch console system and first responder subscriber equipment. He described the importance of the Tait commitment to listen and meeting their requirements:

“When I look back, Tait provided a very robust design. We now have an emergency radio communications system that has been designed around our functionality and critical communications requirements. I am very happy with Tait and what the partnership has achieved for public safety in Grant County.”

Courage to act

Technology is changing, and the needs of our customers are changing as well. Here at Tait, we’re not waiting around to see what the next big thing is. Instead, we push technology forward, investing significantly into research and development to innovate and create communication solutions that exceed expectations. Everything we create is based around the idea of protecting people, property, and productivity.

Innovations like EnableFleet (our OTAP and radio fleet management software), Tait UnifiedVehicle, and our AS-IP solution are all about improving safety and productivity. Check out how one Utility company described their new Tait solution below. Not only did Tait unlock abilities that weren’t possible before, but their system is also ready to adapt in the future.

Another great example comes from the following Fire Agency. Tait provided customized short message functionality that has increased their productivity and enhanced safety.

Integrity to deliver

Communications solutions can take months to plan and install. Complications can be inevitable, but at Tait we don’t hide behind contracts or charge hidden fees. We work alongside our customers to create value, to ensure your solution does what it is supposed to, and we stand beside the life our solutions.

One great example is Jim Wells County. Judge Saenz explained the situation well:

“When we faced a significant challenge at the end of the project implementation, Tait identified the problem and found a way to fix it. It wasn’t their issue, but they weren’t going to leave us and we worked together as a team until the problem was solved. I can’t say enough about the Tait people and how they hung in there with us.”

In summary, people often ask what makes Tait unique or special as a company. The answer, we believe, is our people. While Tait staff come from different places and live all around the world, we are united by our belief in our core values.

If you’re interested in learning more about Tait, you can visit our about page or contact us at anytime.

]]>https://blog.taitradio.com/2018/03/14/tait-communications-our-core-values/feed/0Tait DMR: Meeting Your Needs, at Your Speedhttps://blog.taitradio.com/2018/03/08/tait-dmr-meeting-your-needs-at-your-speed/
https://blog.taitradio.com/2018/03/08/tait-dmr-meeting-your-needs-at-your-speed/#respondThu, 08 Mar 2018 03:00:55 +0000https://blog.taitradio.com/?p=8604A DMR network offers many benefits over analog – including better audio quality, improved channel efficiency, and the use of data applications, to name a few. Upgrading to a DMR network from an analog system is a journey that can sometimes cause headaches, especially if you’re restricted by budgets. Luckily, Tait DMR makes it easy by offering many cost-effective paths that allow you upgrade in the manner that is best for your specific situation.

With Tait DMR, you can choose what and when you want to upgrade, without disruption to your current communications. We’ve developed the Tait DMR Evolution map to illustrate the seven small steps – and hardware required for each – in a clear, simple graphic, and show how each step provides a further path forward, ensuring you have a system that works for you both now and in the future.

See our DMR Evolution Map below, or if you’d like to request pricing you can get in touch with us here.

Infrastructure refresh

This step takes an existing repeater that’s already in place and replaces it with a DMR capable repeater: TB9300/TB7300. Analog terminals are upgraded to DMR capable terminals: TP9300/TM9300. The upgrade is functional straightaway, and the system can continue to operate in analog, but with the benefits of enhanced diagnostics.

Analog Conventional to Single Site DMR Tier 2

This step is minimal cost and minimal effort for an organization that has already done an infrastructure refresh. The upgrade consists of simply adding a license to the base station to ensure that the terminal is DMR Tier 2 capable, and the benefits of digital can be enjoyed straightaway.

Analog Conventional to Multisite DMR Tier 2

This step gives you the benefits of extra capacity. It is achieved with the same licenses required in Step 2, plus additional hardware in the form of a node controller.

Single to Multisite DMR Tier 2

This step is for an organization that already has DMR Tier 2, but wants to extend coverage. This is achieved by adding additional equipment in a node controller and additional base stations. The result is a full multisite Tier 2 system.

Analog Conventional to Single Site DMR Tier 3

This step is for an organization that’s already running analog base stations and wants to go straight to a trunking system. As long as you’re running a Tait base station and have DMR Tier 3 capable terminals, the upgrade simply requires the addition of a software key in the radio and is functional straightaway.

Single Site DMR Tier 2 to Single Site DMR Tier 3

Similarly to the previous step, this step is simply the addition of a license key in the base station for an organization that already has DMR Tier 3 terminals. If you’re using Tait DMR Tier 3 terminals, the only other step is adding an SFE key to the radio, and the system will be fully Tier 3 capable.

Single Site DMR Tier 3 to Multisite DMR Tier 3

For an organization that’s already running a single site DMR Tier 3 system, the upgrade to a full Tier 3 system is simply the addition of a node controller and extra base stations. Adding this hardware will give you the benefits of fleet management, dispatch interfaces, telephone interconnect, and high availability.

It’s our flexible, multimode Tait hardware that allows us to offer these small, cost-effective upgrades, giving you a future-proof path forward that’s ready when you are.

]]>https://blog.taitradio.com/2018/03/08/tait-dmr-meeting-your-needs-at-your-speed/feed/0Tait DMR: A Smart Investment, Made to Evolvehttps://blog.taitradio.com/2018/03/08/tait-dmr-a-smart-investment-made-to-evolve/
https://blog.taitradio.com/2018/03/08/tait-dmr-a-smart-investment-made-to-evolve/#respondThu, 08 Mar 2018 03:00:33 +0000https://blog.taitradio.com/?p=8540Chances are you already know Tait as a trusted, proven supplier of DMR Tier 3 networks and solutions. In fact, we’re a market leader in Tier 3, having been the first to take Tier 3 solutions to market, and from there developing and expanding the capabilities of our DMR platform for both Tier 2 and Tier 3. As a result, the Tait DMR platform gives organizations – small and large – more flexibility, control and freedom of choice for their critical communications solutions.

Whether you’re looking for your first radio network, considering a move to digital, or simply looking to make a change, there are many reasons to choose Tait DMR.

Industry-leading network performance

Tait networks and equipment are engineered for optimum performance, meaning that a Tait system can run with fewer sites with no reduction in reliability. Fewer sites mean less hardware, which means lower cost. But lower cost does not mean any compromise in quality – Tait DMR exceeds minimum industry requirements for site selection speed, for even faster roaming and site steer, as well as faster call entry for roaming terminals. This means important calls get through faster, making all the difference when seconds matter. See how Tait DMR is exceeding expectations in Carroll County.

Decades of experience and knowledge

Tait DMR is built on a foundation of 20 years’ experience designing and deploying MPT systems around the world. Great features from our MPT systems have been incorporated into our DMR products, improved and simplified over the years. The result is a better, stronger DMR offering that exceeds the standard, improving safety, efficiency, ease of use, and reducing costs. See how this worked for Gippsland Water.

Simple, secure configuration and management

Tait equipment and processes are so intuitive that it’s easy to build a Tait DMR system in a matter of hours, even with no prior knowledge or experience of Tait. Configuration management is made simple with secure, web based management tools – like Tait EnableFleet, which gives you total visibility and management of your entire radio fleet from a central point of control.

Flexibility, control and freedom of choice

We understand that one size doesn’t fit all, which is why we’ve designed our systems and software to be multimode and open standard, resulting in adaptable and customizable solutions. Combined with our close network of technology partners, Tait offers a complete, end-to-end solution with flexibility and freedom of choice.

The Tait DMR family of hardware

True partnership – global, trusted, proven

Tait has a global network of channel partners that work hard with us to continuously improve our services, solutions, and equipment. Together, we strive to produce the best solution for each organization we serve, delivering the ideal outcome: Tait DMR – a smart investment, made to evolve.

Easy, future-proof evolution options

A Tait DMR network is an ideal investment because it is designed to evolve and grow with your organization. You can choose from a wide range of options to meet your requirements today, and easily add other features as your needs change in the future.

And when you’re ready to go digital, Tait DMR is all about making it easy. By offering a wide range of options to fit your specific situation, Tait DMR is all about meeting your needs, at your speed. The flexibility afforded by a Tait DMR solution makes it a cost-effective, future-proof investment that can be implemented in numerous ways to suit your needs and budget. Click here to find out more.

“I am very happy with the new DMR technology and the ongoing support and evolution of the product by Tait. Tait have been very supportive and responsive to problems and have always assisted in finding solutions. The product is extremely robust and very reliable.”

-Grant Sleep, Operations Manager, CommSite Integrated Communications

Not quite sure if DMR is the right standard for you? Download our free whitepaper, Comparing Voice Coverage: DMR and TETRA, to learn about the differences between the two standards and how they affect coverage.

If you’re already a DMR user and want to know how you can get more from your network, download our Unified Critical Communications Guide to find out where the future of communications is headed, and how you can utilize DMR to achieve a unified critical comms system.

]]>https://blog.taitradio.com/2018/03/08/tait-dmr-a-smart-investment-made-to-evolve/feed/0Tait Global Conference Inspires Excitement for 2018https://blog.taitradio.com/2018/02/20/tait-global-conference-inspires-excitement-for-2018/
https://blog.taitradio.com/2018/02/20/tait-global-conference-inspires-excitement-for-2018/#respondMon, 19 Feb 2018 12:00:44 +0000https://blog.taitradio.com/?p=8548At the end of January, Tait staff from around the world traveled to our Christchurch, New Zealand headquarters for our global conference. The week-long event was full of sessions focused on learning more about our customers and how we can better serve them.

Tait CEO Garry Diack chats with members of the Brazil team

Informative presentations were given by our global industry executives – Bruce Magee, Jon Rackham, Jeff McElroy, and Jamie Bishop – which helped our teams from across the world to learn much more about our customers in key industries. We were also lucky to have special guest customers join us to share their stories, challenges, and achievements, providing an extra level of awareness and understanding as to how we can best help them succeed.

The conference was a great chance for our teams to share their own customer success stories from across the globe, and to help each other better understand unique industry and region-specific challenges and how to solve them. Our global network of shared resources enables us to give our customers benefits that they may not otherwise have thought of.

With so many bright, insightful minds in one place, the conversations were flowing and sparked great excitement for the year ahead.

Tait sales engineers share information during a session

To meet our team in person or see our solutions in real life, make sure you subscribe to our newsletter to find out when we’ll be at an event near you!

]]>https://blog.taitradio.com/2018/02/20/tait-global-conference-inspires-excitement-for-2018/feed/0What is the difference between C4FM and LSM Modulation for P25?https://blog.taitradio.com/2018/01/31/what-is-the-difference-between-c4fm-and-lsm-modulation-for-p25/
https://blog.taitradio.com/2018/01/31/what-is-the-difference-between-c4fm-and-lsm-modulation-for-p25/#respondTue, 30 Jan 2018 12:00:38 +0000http://blog.taitradio.com/?p=8232More than 1/3 of US Public Safety Agencies are choosing Simulcast networks. There are many benefits to Simulcast networks, including:

Easier Operation – the radios just work everywhere

Better coverage and capacity with existing frequencies

The ability to reach your entire organization with a single call

Expertly-designed Simulcast coverage can eliminate dead spots

How do simulcast networks operate? Essentially, simulcast (short for simultaneous broadcasting) means multiple base stations transmitting the same signal on the same frequency at the same time. Check out this video from the Tait Radio Academy to learn more and see how it works:

The P25 standard allows for both C4FM and LSM. If you’re migrating from an analog simulcast network to a P25 simulcast network, it’s absolutely vital that you maintain the same level of coverage after the migration. You don’t want to invest significant funds into a P25 network, only to find your coverage is worse and you need to invest in more sites.

Delay Spread

The primary drawback of C4FM is that the maximum delay spread tolerance before the received audio becomes distorted is less than half that of analog simulcast. LSM, however, can withstand delay spreads similar to the delay spread tolerance of analog FM. In other words, if we compare two simulcast networks, one using C4FM and one using LSM, the LSM network would require fewer sites, as the site separation could be much greater. Your total network cost is related to site separation, and therefore the LSM simulcast network will costs less, even though LSM may require more expensive linear base station transmitters.

Benefits of LSM

To recap, here are the benefits of choosing an LSM P25 network over a C4FM one:

Require fewer sites compared to non-LSM (the usual P25 C4FM).

You will have more flexibility in site selection. You can choose to use sites you already own, or it may be cheaper to lease a site further away from where you would have to have one for C4FM.

Better audio quality in crossover areas using existing sites compared to analog sites and C4FM on the same sites.

Easier to do coverage planning/launch time calculations as there is more margin for error.

Tait P25 Conventional solutions are available in LSM. To learn more about how we can ensure you maintain great coverage when you migrate from analog to P25, contact us today. If you’d like to dig into the technical reasons that LSM requires fewer sites, then check out our new white paper from Principal Engineer, Ian Graham: P25 Simulcast Coverage Explained.

]]>https://blog.taitradio.com/2018/01/31/what-is-the-difference-between-c4fm-and-lsm-modulation-for-p25/feed/0How to use your radio microphonehttps://blog.taitradio.com/2018/01/23/how-to-use-your-radio-microphone/
https://blog.taitradio.com/2018/01/23/how-to-use-your-radio-microphone/#respondMon, 22 Jan 2018 12:00:56 +0000http://blog.taitradio.com/?p=7846Imagine you’ve just joined an organization that uses radios on a regular basis. You’re given a brand new radio, and a little bit of training on how to use a radio microphone. When you go into the field, however, you find that people are having trouble understanding you.

Although this can sometimes be due to a poor quality product, more often than not it occurs because people don’t always use the radio microphone properly. Today we’re sharing a video from the Tait Radio Academy, titled “Microphone Manners – How to Use your Radio Microphone.” In the video, you’ll learn six simple ways you can improve your radio operation etiquette to increase the quality of your audio and ensure others can hear you clearly.

Below is a summary of the 6 tips for using your radio microphone, but you can go deeper by checking out the full How to Use your Radio Microphone lesson on the Tait Radio Academy.

1) Push and hold the PTT button throughout your transmission.
2) You should hold the microphone between 1-2 inches (2-5 cm) away from your mouth.
3) You should talk past the microphone instead of directly into it.
4) Don’t rattle or shake the microphone while talking.
5) When possible, avoid noise around the microphone.
6) Speak clearly and in your normal voice.

This lesson and many more like it can be found on the Tait Radio Academy, an online school providing free, informative content to radio users around the world.

]]>https://blog.taitradio.com/2018/01/23/how-to-use-your-radio-microphone/feed/0Cyber Security: Assumptions, Vulnerabilities, and the Nature of the Threathttps://blog.taitradio.com/2018/01/16/cyber-security-assumptions-vulnerabilities-and-the-nature-of-the-threat/
https://blog.taitradio.com/2018/01/16/cyber-security-assumptions-vulnerabilities-and-the-nature-of-the-threat/#respondMon, 15 Jan 2018 12:00:45 +0000https://blog.taitradio.com/?p=8495Technological developments have brought automation, monitoring, and remote operation to the myriad systems our businesses, communities and nations rely on. But that same enhanced connectivity can also enable hostile groups or individuals to gain access, steal data, take control – or even shut down operations altogether. Any interruption has the potential to endanger lives and economies. Dr. Jan Noordhof gives us some serious food for thought.

Let’s start by looking at the nature of the threat. For example:

2015, UKRAINE

A cyber attack on December 23 caused a power outage in western Ukraine impacting 225,000 customers. The attackers remotely tripped breakers after installing malware, thereby bringing down the power grid. They also clogged the utility’s service center with spam calls to block genuine calls from affected customers.

2013, NEW YORK

Iranian hackers infiltrated the operations center of the Bowman Avenue Dam, a small flood control dam in New York, by means of a broadband cellular modem that connected the dam to the Internet. While the dam controls were not accessed, the facility was apparently targeted by a wider network scan for industrial control systems exposed to the Internet.

2010, IRAN

The Stuxnet computer worm penetrated an ICS at the Natanz Iranian nuclear facility via a portable USB drive. It infected the Siemens Simatic S7 programmable logic controllers that managed the centrifuges used for fuel enrichment, speeding them up until they self-destructed.

2005, UNITED STATES

A report for the Idaho National Laboratory (a US Department of Energy National Laboratory) detailed 120 cyber security attacks on US control systems*.

An incident report recently issued by a US government agency tasked with tracking ICS security threats in the US noted the trend from 2010-2015:

In the US and elsewhere, it is likely that many cyber attacks go unreported, which would make the upward trend in security incidents significantly steeper.

WHAT IS AN INDUSTRIAL CONTROL SYSTEM?
An industrial control system monitors and controls a set of industrial equipment. You might find an ICS controlling an electricity distribution network, a field of oil rigs, refinery processing equipment, or a factory assembly line.

Data (meter readings, status reports) are sent from a remote or local site to a control center where – by human or automatic intervention – commands can be sent back to change the operation of the physical equipment. As well as being remotely monitored and controlled, operation can be modified, turned on, or off.

Some dangerous assumptions

Facing up to cyber attacks is an ongoing, and constantly evolving challenge. To assume that a security retrofit is good enough, fails to grasp the complexity and dynamic nature of security. In particular, legacy equipment is responsible for some dangerous assumptions, which blind operators to the vulnerability of their systems.

X An ICS is safe if it is not connected to the Internet.

X Attacks come from outside the ICS rather than inside.

X Firewalls will protect an ICS from all attacks.

X The proprietary communications protocols used by an ICS can help protect it.

X Cyber attacks are generally targeted, so a low-profile ICS will not be targeted.

X Security can be retrofitted to an ICS on an “as required” basis.

The Stuxnet attack on the Iranian centrifuges knocks over the first four assumptions, since the Iranian ICS was not connected to the Internet, and had military grade firewalls. (The attack vector was an infected USB drive plugged into a workstation within the ICS, which targeted the proprietary Siemens PLC.)

And the Bowman Avenue Dam event upsets the fifth assumption as the hackers apparently did not specifically target the facility, but picked it up in a wider network scan for unprotected Internet-connected ICS.

The assumption that security can be simply retrofitted to existing ICS is dangerous because it contains an element of truth that can mislead an ICS operator to think that they have done enough to protect their system. Any extra security is better than none, but security improvements that can be retrofitted are severely constrained by the limitations of legacy equipment, and may not even meet regulatory requirements. They will provide far less protection than security that has been designed into the ICS from the start.

The only assumption you can safely make is that your network is not safe.

What makes an ICS vulnerable?

For years, security experts have been sounding alarms about susceptibility to attacks. Here are five vulnerabilities that operators must be aware of:

Mandated network performance
Many of the devices or facilities managed by an ICS should run without interruption – with strong economic or regulatory penalties to discourage operational downtime. So maintenance tasks or upgrade installations which might interrupt operation become a major issue. Retrofitting security, applying firmware patches and updates, or replacing legacy equipment can fall into the ‘too hard’ category.

Legacy equipment
Early industrial control systems were designed for reliability rather than security, since there was no Internet to complicate the picture. Even modern, IP-ready field equipment or web-based control center applications may still be connected to a SCADA or DCS system that are decades old. Created in the pre-history of security, components had no built-in security or communications protocols, interfaces were unprotected, and all users were assumed to be authorized. And monolithic network architecture ensured that there were no security checks to impede transmissions.

Reliability vs security
With the development of computer networking, ICS operators took advantage of the better performance, increased reliability, and reduced costs of interconnected sub-networks. Unfortunately, security innovation was left behind: components were insecure, protocols were mainly clear text, and authentication of users and applications was weak. The design goals were more concerned with reliability and cost reduction than with security. This might be described as ‘insecure-by-design’.

Deliberate hacking and intrusion
A large, expert and active hacking community directs its efforts to exposing and exploiting flaws in operating systems and architectures. Hacks of popular operating systems commonly used in ICS and corporate workstations (such as Windows or Linux), or cell phone operating systems (such as Android) are constantly in the news. But even a proprietary operating system on a SCADA/ICS controller is at risk, allowing an intruder to enter via a maintenance laptop.

Failure to maintain
Corporate policies and regulatory controls may ‘freeze’ an ICS when it is first commissioned and certified, making patching and updating vulnerable operating systems all but impossible.

It is difficult to retrofit security onto a design which is unprotected at so many levels. If you consider all the hardware, software, network, and physical vulnerabilities of a system (its ‘attack surface’), it becomes clear that only a complete redesign from the ground up will secure the ICS from known threats. That is why assistance from experienced security professionals is critical, to combat the many different types of attack that can be launched against an ICS.

]]>https://blog.taitradio.com/2018/01/16/cyber-security-assumptions-vulnerabilities-and-the-nature-of-the-threat/feed/0Tait Blog: Most Popular Storieshttps://blog.taitradio.com/2017/12/28/tait-blog-most-popular-stories/
https://blog.taitradio.com/2017/12/28/tait-blog-most-popular-stories/#respondWed, 27 Dec 2017 12:00:15 +0000https://blog.taitradio.com/?p=8442It’s hard to believe another year has come and gone, but as we get ready to welcome 2018, we wanted to take a look back at some of our most popular blog posts throughout 2017. We love bringing you valuable, educational, and interesting content, so have a look below at what many of our readers have found most useful over the past year.

Principal Engineer Ian Graham explores a common question in radio system design: whether to deploy duplexers or to use separate transmit and receive antennas. Here, he examines the technicalities of both approaches. Read more.

When considering a new radio network or a replacement/upgrade of an existing one, choosing the right technology is key. In this piece, we compare the relative advantages and disadvantages of DMR and TETRA with factors including coverage, frequency bands, fallback to analog and the ease and cost of migration. Read more.

In the desirable radio frequencies occupied by Public Safety and Utilities organizations, there is only so much radio spectrum to share between everyone who wants to use it. In this post, we look at how digital radio is moving to alleviate this problem by increasing the amount of information that can be conveyed on a channel. Read more.

This post explains the differences between these two popular digital radio standards, and examines the advantages each has when it comes to factors like spectral efficiency, ease/cost of migration from analog FM, and portable battery shift life. Read more.

Here we’ve answered some of the most-asked questions relating to digital standard P25, including what it is, what its benefits are, and what the difference is between its two options, Phase 1 and Phase 2. Read more.

We’ll continue bringing you more quality content in 2018, so stay tuned for more educational pieces from the Tait Radio Academy, thought-leading Connection articles, informational comparisons, and answers to frequently asked questions. Subscribe to our blog to be the first to see our informative videos, white papers, guides, and other helpful information.

TeamTalk Limited, the publicly listed telecommunications services provider, who are the largest provider of commercial mobile radio communications services and solutions throughout New Zealand, today announced that it has selected Christchurch-headquartered Tait Communications to supply and build its new nationwide Tier III Digital Mobile Radio network.

TeamTalk’s chief executive Andrew Miller said,

“Changes within the Health and Safety legislation along with the findings from the reviews following the Christchurch and Kaikoura earthquakes mean many organizations are now considering diversity across their communications portfolio and mobile radio is critical in providing this service.”

This investment will enable TeamTalk to continue to deliver mission critical communications to its customers, as well as offering new services and solutions that will enable TeamTalk to grow its revenues by reaching into the conventional radio market. This is a market that TeamTalk has traditionally not competed in but the new digital platform will open up new opportunities including the capability to interconnect different networks.

Andrew Miller said,

“Whilst a new digital network is exciting, it is the roadmap of further integrated services that will be released over the next few years that really excites us about this investment. Our partnership with Tait Communications and other integrators will allow us to be at the forefront of new developments and enable New Zealand to gain access to these leading technologies and solutions quickly.

“Tait were selected following a robust RFP process including trials and interoperability testing as well as evaluation of different migration strategies.

“The selection of Tait reinvigorates a long partnership going back decades and as company founder Sir Angus Tait said in 2002, TeamTalk are at the forefront of mobile radio and have the largest Tait network in the world. I am proud to be associated with this innovative company delivering leading edge solutions to customers.”

Trevor Laughton, General Manager of Tait New Zealand said,

“Tait Communications is extremely happy to again be working with TeamTalk and that New Zealand’s business community will now have an opportunity to realize the potential of a nationwide modern digital mobile radio network for voice and data. Tait is committed to the success of this investment and the agreement reflects that commitment.”

]]>https://blog.taitradio.com/2017/12/21/tait-selected-for-nationwide-dmr-network/feed/0Which P25 is Right for Your Organization? (and 6 reasons to migrate)https://blog.taitradio.com/2017/12/20/which-p25-is-right-for-your-organization/
https://blog.taitradio.com/2017/12/20/which-p25-is-right-for-your-organization/#respondTue, 19 Dec 2017 12:00:51 +0000https://blog.taitradio.com/?p=8504There are undoubtedly some very strong reasons why mission critical organizations should migrate to P25, but the many options can make it difficult to know which route to go. In this article, Tait Architectural Design Engineer Steve Penny discusses the differences between these standards, helping you to decide what’s right for your organization.

Mission Critical organizations around the world have been upgrading to P25 for more than two decades. But there remain some big questions to answer: Should we choose P25 Phase 1 or Phase 2? Trunked or Conventional? Do we really need P25, or should we stick with Analog?

P25 Phase 1 or P25 Phase 2?

P25 Phase 1 was the original P25 standard, and while it may be older than P25 Phase 2, that doesn’t mean it’s the wrong choice. It all depends on what you need.

The biggest difference between Phase 1 and Phase 2 is that Phase 1 uses Frequency Division Multiple Access (FDMA), where the channel efficiency comes from dividing the frequencies. Phase 2 uses Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA) which divides the channel into two timeslots. Phase 1 bandwidth is 12.5kHz. But if you choose P25 Phase 2 and TDMA, then there will be two voice channels for every 12.5 kHz of spectrum – effectively giving you 6.25kHz equivalence.

P25 Phase 1 is available as both a conventional network and a trunked network, but P25 Phase 2 is trunked only. So if you are committed to a digital conventional solution, Phase 1 is the way to go. But before making that decision, let’s compare P25 Phase 1 Conventional and P25 Phase 1 Trunked.

P25 Phase 1 Conventional

P25 Conventional offers the benefits of digital radio with the simplicity of conventional operation. Upgrading to Phase 1 gives you the security of digital encryption, and voice quality right to the edge of coverage.

But the big benefit of conventional radio is that it costs less than trunked and is easier to operate. However, if your organization is approaching 100 or more radio users, a conventional network can quickly become too congested, and you will want to consider a trunked network.

P25 Phase 1 Trunked

FDMA means each trunked channel uses the full 12.5 kHz spectrum, but trunking has some serious benefits that P25 conventional cannot offer:

Fewer channels can support the same number of users

Person-to-person calls are private

IP interface on the infrastructure – ease of data integration such as OTAP

Trunking can be initially frustrating for users, who need to wait for permission to talk. However, for busy networks, wait time is shorter than conventional because they have access to more channels.

P25 Phase 2 Trunked

The primary reason you should migrate to P25 Phase 2 is for spectral efficiency. If you need more channels, but don’t have the spectrum available, then you can take advantage of the TDMA technology in P25 Phase 2.

Time Division provides two virtual channels for each 12.5 kHz logical channel. While this adds some complexity, it delivers some real benefits.

Because the control channel is a 12.5kHz FDMA channel, Phase 2 is backwards compatible with P25 Phase 1

You can stop radios from transmitting to free up channels during an emergency

Analog Conventional

For many mission critical organizations, this could still be your best choice. Undoubtedly, P25 is more advanced, but there is no point in paying for more features if you simply don’t need them.

Here are some reasons to consider Analog Conventional:

Analog Conventional costs less than P25 Digital,

If paging system is essential to your operation, this functionality works better with analog conventional,

Neighboring agencies have analog mutual aid channels,

Your users are familiar with analog conventional.

If you’re leaning towards an analog conventional system, your best option is to select one that is future proof. TaitNet Analog Simulcast-over-IP hardware is P25-capable, so if you need to migrate to P25 in the future, it will be a very simple upgrade. All you’ll need to do is upgrade the software and feature licenses. One solution may be some analog channels and some P25 conventional channels to get the best of both worlds

Which is right for your organization?

Capacity remains the biggest issue for many operators, and the highest capacity solution is a digital one, that being P25 Phase 2 Trunked. Beyond that, the decision becomes more complex. P25 Phase 1 – conventional or trunked – remains the best option for most organizations looking to go digital. Unless you are dramatically short of capacity (and additional channels in your frequency range are unavailable), any other argument for choosing Phase 2 is outweighed by the complexity and cost.

On the other hand, if you are already using P25 Phase 1 Trunked and you need more capacity, then Phase 2 is the best way to achieve it.

As always, whatever you choose, we recommend selecting a solution with a clear and easy migration path. For instance, the Tait 9400 series is capable of Analog, P25 Phase 1, and P25 Phase 2, so whatever you choose today, you’ll be ready for tomorrow’s changes.

Each organization has unique needs and wants, and at the end of the day, you need to do what is best for your staff and community. So it’s wise to seek the advice of a trusted consultant or communications provider.

]]>https://blog.taitradio.com/2017/12/20/which-p25-is-right-for-your-organization/feed/0Verifying Radio Network Coveragehttps://blog.taitradio.com/2017/12/20/verifying-radio-network-coverage/
https://blog.taitradio.com/2017/12/20/verifying-radio-network-coverage/#respondTue, 19 Dec 2017 12:00:44 +0000https://blog.taitradio.com/?p=8499Coverage prediction software models the propagation of radio waves, as part of the process of designing radio networks. It takes into account (among other things) distance from transmitters, variations in topography, the curvature of the earth and changes in atmospheric density at altitude. But it is only part of the story.

In this article, Tait coverage expert Stephen Bunting takes us beyond the mathematical theory, to explain how Coverage Verification Testing increases confidence in radio network coverage.

How coverage engineers prove that your radio network is giving you the coverage you paid for.

Coverage predictions define the mathematical likelihood that a randomly-selected location will have a signal strength equal to, or greater than your specified threshold. But there are limits. Because it is averaged out across your entire service area you cannot be 100% confident that a specific signal level will occur at a given time and place. No matter how good the data, it cannot perfectly represent the real world.

Once your network is in place, you will want to confirm that you are getting what you paid for – effectively a coverage guarantee. Coverage Verification Testing can give a specified confidence (usually 99%) that your network is delivering the area reliability you specified, by randomly sampling coverage across the network service area.

To verify that your installed network meets coverage requirements, your coverage must be specified as either:

Covered area reliability – the proportion of randomly-selected locations within the predicted coverage boundary where service can be expected,

Service area reliability – the proportion of all locations within the service area where service can be expected.

The level of service you require also needs to be defined. Where possible, the service threshold should be a single, measurable, objective value. Common coverage design thresholds are signal strength (RSSI) and Bit Error Rate (BER), which may have been derived from a specified DAQ requirement.

Coverage Verification Testing (CVT) physically measures area reliability in a robust, repeatable and affordable way. In this situation, reliability refers to the proportion of locations that meet or exceed the coverage design threshold.

Where to sample

Statistical sampling requires each sample to be randomly and independently selected. Obviously, if all samples were taken right next to radio sites, the test would not be valid. Nor would taking all samples in deep valleys at the edge of coverage. Neither example would provide an accurate measure of reliability.

If time and money were no object, every possible location could be tested, and a very precise reliability measure could be achieved. Clearly this is impractical; another approach is needed, to balance precision and affordability. This requires a controlled randomization approach, that balances random sampling and even distribution, by spreading sufficient samples evenly across the service area.

To distribute samples across the service area in an unbiased way, coverage engineers create a test grid, which divides the service area into evenly-sized test tiles, typically one-to-two kilometers square. A random sample is taken within each test tile. So, while not random in the strictest sense, sampling is randomized within a test tile. When designing the coverage verification test, the coverage engineer can adjust the tile size, to ensure that enough samples are taken to meet specified confidence levels, while keeping the sampling as evenly-spread as possible. The tiles themselves are not tested; they are simply a device to distribute the samples.

(As the actual sampling is performed by vehicles on public roads – which conveniently replicates actual mobile radio use – any tiles that do not have at least partial road access are excluded.)

The method

If random signal quality samples are taken, you can estimate the percentage of locations that meet or exceed the coverage design threshold. The associated degree of confidence will then depend on the number of samples you take.

For example:

A radio network has specified area reliability of 90%, and coverage design threshold is -100dBm signal strength. You require a confidence level – the likelihood of the testing being accurate – of 99%.

The number of samples will depend on the reliability specification and predicted reliability – the smaller the gap between them, the more samples are required. Let’s look at some possible outcomes, based on different numbers of samples.

Looking at the table below, the first two examples fall well short in terms of confidence, due to their very small sample numbers. The third example exceeds both reliability and confidence, suggesting that the system may in fact have more radio sites than necessary to meet the specified criteria.

The final example – with 900 samples and measured reliability around 92% – meets the confidence criteria, and best represents a realistic, well-executed CVT.

What happens if we increase the confidence figure further? Diminishing returns set in quite quickly: 99.9% confidence requires 2150 samples. That is a significantly greater sampling overhead, so the sampling cost can get out of hand quite quickly.

So to sum up, the theoretical nature of coverage prediction can provide only part of the story. Physical, location signal measurements from a well-designed and executed coverage verification test can verify it in a robust, repeatable and affordable way.

]]>https://blog.taitradio.com/2017/12/20/verifying-radio-network-coverage/feed/0Tait White Paper Library Updatedhttps://blog.taitradio.com/2017/12/07/tait-white-paper-library-updated/
https://blog.taitradio.com/2017/12/07/tait-white-paper-library-updated/#respondWed, 06 Dec 2017 12:00:09 +0000https://blog.taitradio.com/?p=8441We’ve recently redesigned our White Paper Library, making it even easier for you to find the information you need. The Tait White Paper Library can now be browsed by industry or technology, and all papers are free to download!

For a sample of this great resource, take a look at some of our most popular White Papers:

The future of communications looks very different. Already, many agencies are using a range of wireless networks, as they increasingly rely on data. Undoubtedly this trend is set to continue. But with this additional choice comes confusion.

Unified Critical Communications connects individual devices across PMR, LTE, and WiFi to create a seamless “network of networks”. This guide will help you understand UCC, learn how to achieve UCC and understand the benefits of UCC.

This paper details the importance of cyber security on our communications networks, and introduces some important concepts and ideas. It covers the nature of the threat, what an industrial control system is, some dangerous assumptions, types of cyber attack and more.

The need to transfer ever more voice and data services over the available PMR spectrum has led many organizations to consider replacement of their existing radio networks. But, finding the right technology to meet their specific needs and use cases can be both confusing and time consuming. This positioning paper provides a summarized comparison of the current digital technologies, outlining the advantages and disadvantages for each of them.

When migrating from an analog LMR system to a digital standard like P25, coverage is a vital consideration. It’s important that the coverage provided by the new digital system is as good as – or better than – the analog system it is replacing. It’s important to determine the number of sites required to provide reliable communication throughout the service area; your officers’ safety depends on it. But additional sites have a major impact on system cost. This paper summarizes the coverage implications of migrating to P25 Phase 1 Simulcast, and how to achieve coverage that is similar to analog simulcast.

This paper provides a technical comparison between DMR and Tetra voice coverage, providing a simple ratio between the number of base stations each requires to cover a given area. Both downlink (base station to terminals), and uplink (terminals to base station) paths are considered across both urban and rural terrains. It discusses the measurable factors affecting coverage, how they affect relative coverage between these two technologies, and explains how the conclusions were reached.

]]>https://blog.taitradio.com/2017/12/07/tait-white-paper-library-updated/feed/0Tait and Omnitronics Power the City of Bayswater Dispatch Upgradehttps://blog.taitradio.com/2017/11/11/tait-dmr-tier-2-with-reditalk-flex-are-powering-the-city-of-bayswater-dispatch-upgrade/
https://blog.taitradio.com/2017/11/11/tait-dmr-tier-2-with-reditalk-flex-are-powering-the-city-of-bayswater-dispatch-upgrade/#respondFri, 10 Nov 2017 12:00:10 +0000https://blog.taitradio.com/?p=8417Tait Endorsed Technology partner Omnitronics has announced that it’s been chosen by Vertel to supply local Australian government council the City of Bayswater with its latest dispatching application RediTALK-Flex. Tait Solution Partner Vertel operate a Tait DMR Tier 3 network with 50 sites around Australia.

The upgrade will be replacing the separate analog voice communications and GPS tracking service with an all-in-one voice and data system via the RediTALK-Flex console. Combining the best that radio technology has to offer, the system also uses Tait’s DMR Tier 2 repeater as part of its network configuration, ensuring a greater level of flexibility and resilience.

The install concludes the final step in the city-wide communications upgrade which has been carried out in a series of stages since 2015. It will be used to provide a variety of dispatching services to the city, ensuring a significant increase in productivity, greater safety of council staff and a higher quality of service to the 66,079 residents who reside within the city’s boundaries.

Omnitronics was chosen to provide this solution to fulfill the realization that a significant level of customization would be required to meet the specific requirements set by the city. By partnering with Omnitronics, the city gained access to the high level of engineering knowledge and experience that would be required to implement such a demanding and cutting-edge communications solution.

We wish to thank the City of Bayswater, and Tait Solution Partners Vertel and Direct Communications for choosing Tait and Omnitronics to provide a solution for this important project.

Tait DMR is a flexible, scalable digital communications platform. Our common hardware platform can scale from small to large operations, with software flexibility to reconfigure and evolve as your needs change. This ultra-narrowband, open standard technology is spectrally efficient and supports both voice and data applications to help you achieve more from your network than ever before. Find out more about Tait DMR solutions here.

]]>https://blog.taitradio.com/2017/11/11/tait-dmr-tier-2-with-reditalk-flex-are-powering-the-city-of-bayswater-dispatch-upgrade/feed/0Analog Simulcast over IP (AS-IP) – Top 5 Benefitshttps://blog.taitradio.com/2017/11/07/analog-simulcast-over-ip-as-ip-top-5-benefits/
https://blog.taitradio.com/2017/11/07/analog-simulcast-over-ip-as-ip-top-5-benefits/#respondMon, 06 Nov 2017 12:00:31 +0000https://blog.taitradio.com/?p=8408The Tait Analog Simulcast over IP (AS-IP) solution is quickly growing in popularity among public safety agencies as an alternative to P25. For instance, Matthew Gay, the Maintenance Manager for the Madison County Fire Department, described it this way, “We believe we got the absolute best system we could get, and it was inexpensive. I don’t mean we got the best system for the money we had; I mean we got the best that we could get. And it was inexpensive.”

There are several reasons for the growing popularity of the AS-IP solution. In this video, we’ll discuss the top 5 benefits of this solution and why it could be the right choice for your organization. Let’s get started.

1) Easy to Install

Historically, simulcast networks were notoriously difficult to build and sync correctly. But at Tait, we took several steps to ensure the transition to AS-IP would be as quick and painless as possible for our customers.

Our new transmitter design removes all tuning and equalization challenges. Syncing the different towers happens instantly through IP connectivity and GPS. This results in an easier set-up, less user-training, and better audio quality.

Furthermore, there is no need for a 3rd party voter, reducing the equipment required for a typical analogue simulcast installation and saving up to 67% of your rackspace. This reduction in equipment also lowers the price, support costs and power consumption when compared to other vendor’s voting solutions.

2) IP Connectivity

Choosing an analog radio network doesn’t mean you have to remain disconnected from the digital world. Tait IP connectivity between sites eliminates the need for multiplexers at each site, reducing costs and eliminating this single point of failure.

You can also use IP linking to connect with APCO P25 DFSI capable dispatch consoles in analog mode, thus reducing hardware and improving console connectivity.

And of course, the IP backbone interconnects the various elements of the network, enabling comprehensive remote monitoring, diagnostics, and firmware upgrades. This means that maintenance has never been easier.

3) Coverage and Clarity

Here is how one customer described the coverage and clarity of Tait AS-IP, “Before, you had to look for places where you could talk on a portable. Now I’m looking for places that I can’t, and I haven’t found any yet.”

There are a couple reasons for this. In simulcast systems, audio is broadcast simultaneously over a number of transmitters on a single frequency. Essentially, each transmitter in the system transmits exactly the same signal, with the same characteristics, at the same time.

This provides the peace of mind every radio manager requires, knowing that users can roam between coverage zones with fewer dropped calls and without changing channels. The Voting software continuously combines the outputs of all receivers, ensuring that the best-received audio is constantly being selected, enabling the best transmission quality possible. When your users push to talk, they can rest assured knowing that clear audio will connect them.

4) Redundant and Reliable

Tait networks are built on some of the most reliable base stations on the planet, but we still take steps to ensure redundancy. Voting is key to effective simulcast networks and ensures that each radio user gets the best possible reception.

Every Taitnet AS-IP system has a primary central voting site. Customers can select a second voter license for a back up site, which means that if voting on the central site fails for any reason, it is automatically detected and the back-up site voter will seamlessly take over. The back-up site is pre-determined by the system engineer, ensuring voting is transferred to the most robust site available.

This mean you can ensure your people always have the best possible reception and that your network continues working, especially during emergencies, while also saving money today and into the future

5) Future Proof

Suppose your agency wants analog radio today, but digital P25 tomorrow. With Tait AS-IP, that’s not a problem. Every Tait 9400 product is remotely upgradeable to P25 linear simulcasted conventional, P25 phase 1 and P25 phase 2 trunked modes of operation. You can keep all your original 9400 components, and then all you’ll need to do is add new feature licenses and a new server for trunking control for phase 1 and 2 networks.

With Tait AS-IP, you can give your organization options and ensure the investment you make today will be useful tomorrow.

And there you have it, those are the top 5 benefits of Tait AS-IP. If you’d like to learn more about this solution, then visit our AS-IP page to read or request more info.

]]>https://blog.taitradio.com/2017/11/07/analog-simulcast-over-ip-as-ip-top-5-benefits/feed/0Who is Tait Communications?https://blog.taitradio.com/2017/11/07/who-is-tait-communications/
https://blog.taitradio.com/2017/11/07/who-is-tait-communications/#respondMon, 06 Nov 2017 12:00:24 +0000http://blog.taitradio.com/?p=8143Did you know that Tait was founded in 1969 in Christchurch, New Zealand? Over the years we’ve grown into an international business with offices and customers all over the globe.

Although we love it when customers come to visit us and we can give them a full tour, we recognize that not everyone can make it to New Zealand. Because of that, we created this short video tour of our Christchurch campus. Whether you’ve known us for years or this is your first time hearing about us, we wanted to spend some time telling the story of who we are, how we started, and why we do what we do.

Highlights

Tait Communications was founded by Sir Angus Tait in 1969

Sir Angus had an opportunity to sell Tait in the early 90’s, but said “What am I going to do with all that money? I’d much rather have the satisfaction of building something worthwhile.”

Tait integrates with a wide range of partner products, LTE, and ICT solutions

We believe in open-standards

We may not be the largest critical communications company in the world, but we strive to be the best

We hope you’ll join us as we continue our never-ending quest to “build something worthwhile.”

If you’d like to learn more about Tait Communications, visit our About Tait page or Contact Us to get in touch. We’d love to hear from you!

]]>https://blog.taitradio.com/2017/11/07/who-is-tait-communications/feed/0Rugged Radios Explained – Meet the Team Behind Tait Toughhttps://blog.taitradio.com/2017/10/17/rugged-radios-meet-the-team/
https://blog.taitradio.com/2017/10/17/rugged-radios-meet-the-team/#respondMon, 16 Oct 2017 12:00:15 +0000http://blog.taitradio.com/?p=8350For years, you’ve heard about how our rugged radios are built Tait Tough. We know our customers depend on our radios, and so we constantly seek out ways to ensure they are as robust and reliable as possible. Today, we get to introduce you to the Tait Mechanical team, who maintain a sharp focus on building the Tait Tough philosophy into all of our products.

This video provides some insight into how the Mechanical team approach product development at Tait:

The process involves several steps. First, Mechanical works within multidisciplinary teams throughout the product development process to gain alignment on the best way to achieve the toughest product outcomes. Emphasis is placed on working with our customers and prototyping solutions early and often to ensure that our products suit the needs and environment of our users. ​We also work alongside our partners to select and evolve partner products to meet our very high quality standard.

Since every Tait product is built from specialist components manufactured by our supply chain partners to Tait designs, the Mechanical team involves them early in the conceptualisation phase for every new product development. Our partners effectively become an extension of the internal development team and the team utilize their unique, focused expertise so that each component optimally contributes to the overall finished product’s quality and robustness.

The emphasis the Mechanical team place on experimental testing as part of the design process allows them to learn quickly and advance our design concepts in an efficient and effective way. The Tait team is never satisfied to simply know that our products meet requirements, but rather test our products to their limits so that we can learn as much as possible and use this knowledge to make Tait products even more robust, rugged, and reliable.

]]>https://blog.taitradio.com/2017/10/17/rugged-radios-meet-the-team/feed/0Location Services – reliable, critical, indispensablehttps://blog.taitradio.com/2017/10/04/location-services-reliable-critical-indispensable/
https://blog.taitradio.com/2017/10/04/location-services-reliable-critical-indispensable/#respondTue, 03 Oct 2017 11:30:29 +0000http://blog.taitradio.com/?p=8340The following is an article from the latest issue of Connection magazine. In this piece, we take a look at how Location Services are a crucial asset for organizations both in daily operations and emergency situations.

Being able to track where key people and assets are at a moment’s notice is an important part of normal operations – and during emergencies it can mean the difference between life and death. Organizations must also ensure they plan ahead for different emergency scenarios.

When something goes wrong, every moment is crucial. Having a plan in place and knowing how to implement it creates confidence.

“I want [our customers] to be prepared for anything – whether it’s a natural or man-made event. I want to have preplanned it. I want to understand what my options are and have the infrastructure prepared to be able to support that.” – Kevin Sumrell, Avtec’s Vice President of Sales for Energy Markets.

GPS give responders and companies an edge during – and leading up to – emergencies. These systems help companies inventory, secure, or relocate valuable assets in the face of impending natural disasters.

During events, mission-critical communications, up-to-the-instant insights on mobile crews and vehicles locations, as well as instant communication with first responders all allow for a best-case allocation of resources and safety protocols.

In 2015, three technology partners – Tait Communications, Avtec, and Tallysman – launched an integrated solution to provide enhanced situational awareness for workforce and asset tracking. This solution, EnableLocation, is powered by Tait and builds on Avtec Scout console technology with the TallysmanTruFleet® Solution to deliver radio-over-IP connectivity through trunked networks, including the Harris P25 system.

This integrated solution allows workers in the field to focus on the immediate situation – they no longer have to manually call in locations. For law enforcement, this is a strong benefit, especially during events such as highspeed pursuits.

Mike Ridge, Director of Strategic Alliances for Avtec, says, “If someone presses the panic button on their radio, we want to be able to find them quickly. So being able to have location or last-known location displayed alongside the voice communication resource is really helpful.”

“Disaster preparation technology can also benefit organizations during non-crises by increasing worker safety and improving efficiency, by analyzing patterns of data – such as telemetry – returned by systems such as EnableLocation,” said Ridge.

“Organizations are beginning to recognize the value of data, not only for improving safety, but also for efficiency purposes. They might gather data from various sources to try to make their operation more efficient… and location is one of the first things they gather.”

Tracy Bensley, General Manager of Talquin, said their nearly 30-year-old radio system was no longer reliable. They sought to improve signal coverage and take advantage of the latest digital mobile radio features, such as GPS, which were not available with their legacy system.

“When you got into the outskirts of our territory, there were certain areas where we couldn’t get a signal at all,” Bensley said. The degradation of the service had happened over time – especially since narrow-banding – leaving them with just one usable channel for all three departments. “Not having multiple channels to use was a big problem,” she said.

David Kennedy, Communications Coordinator at Talquin, said they needed the flexibility of more channels for dispatch. “… [we wanted] two or three conversations going on, not interfering with each other. We wanted a repeated system and we wanted to have communications interoperability with other utilities and public safety agencies if it ever came to that,” he said.

Talquin selected the Tait DMR Tier 3 solution with five sites, 107 mobile radios, and 60 portable radios. Dispatchers can instantly see the location of vehicles on their Avtec Scout consoles for rapid dispatch in both day-to-day operations and emergencies.

Rachel Paramore, Team Lead Dispatcher at Talquin, said the system has improved employee safety. “If they are out working by themselves, they can set the Lone-Man Working button, and if there’s a safety concern, we will contact them.”

“And it has the GPS on the portable radios they can carry on their side. If something happens, we can get hold of them immediately – or know their location. And the clarity is so much crisper now,” she said.

Partnered with local wireless provider Williams Communications, Talquin’s new system uses the DMR open standard, leaving it capable of growth and expansion for future technologies.

“The software-centric nature of IP, and the ability to interface to multiple technologies simultaneously, really affords us the opportunity to be future-proof and allows us to evolve with technology,” said Sumrell.

Improving safety and situational awareness is a priority for many companies and public entities. The public is also increasingly concerned about safety and vulnerabilities in light of world events. More can be done to assist and prepare first responders and infrastructure providers.

]]>https://blog.taitradio.com/2017/10/04/location-services-reliable-critical-indispensable/feed/0Top 5 Benefits of the TM9300 Mobile Radiohttps://blog.taitradio.com/2017/09/29/top-5-benefits-of-the-tm9300-mobile-radio/
https://blog.taitradio.com/2017/09/29/top-5-benefits-of-the-tm9300-mobile-radio/#respondThu, 28 Sep 2017 12:00:55 +0000http://blog.taitradio.com/?p=8233To provide a simple introduction to the Tait DMR family of products, we’ve produced a series of videos each exploring the top benefits of various aspects of the solution. Today, we take a look at the Top 5 Benefits of the Tait TM9300 mobile radio:

Top 5 Benefits of the Tait TM9300

The Tait TM9300 is a world-class DMR mobile radio. It’s ideal for Utilities, Transport, Mining, Oil & Gas, and other organizations who depend on communications to do their job. Here are the top five benefits of the TM9300:

1) Increased Worker Safety:

Worker safety is the top priority for our customers, which is why Lone Worker is standard on every TM9300. Should a worker leave their vehicle for any reason, they can enable Lone Worker, which will send an alert to dispatch if the worker does not return within the set amount of time. Emergency calls have priority access to the network, and crystal-clear voice increases safety by enabling the operator and user to understand each other. GPS and Location Services give dispatch the knowledge of where to send help when it’s needed, and send it fast.

2) Quad-Mode for a simple migration:

Like all Tait 9300 products, Each TM9300 is capable of four different modes: Analog Conventional, MPT-1327, DMR Tier 2, and DMR Tier 3. Roaming is available between Analog Conventional and DMR Tier 2, as well as between MPT-1327 and DMR Tier 3.

This quad-mode functionality makes the migration process easier than ever before. If you have an analog network today, you can start migrating by installing TM9300s that operate in analog mode. Once your DMR network is built, each TM9300 can easily switch to DMR.

3) Increased Business Efficiency

The voice and data capabilities of the TM9300 provide many avenues for improving efficiency. For instance, it can be used to send short data messages for location or status. These status messages can be pre-defined, enabling a fast response in common situations.

Location Services also speeds up efficiency. If you know the location of a problem, you can identify which staff person is closest to the situation. This will ensure help is sent as quickly as possible, improving response time.

You can also upgrade your TM9300 with the new Tait UnifiedVehicle solution, which provides an application platform with open APIs so you can design or install countless applications that will drive business efficiency for your organization.

4) A range of configurable models and accessories

There is a range of control heads, including a Hand Held Control Head or a Graphical Control Head (single or dual) Each option is capable of local or remote operation.

There are also multiple color options, to make it easier for workgroups to identify the right equipment. The control heads are available in black, yellow or green, and the Hand Held Control heads are available in black, yellow, green and red.

The TM9300 has multiple model options, including the TM9315. These flexible options are provided to give the customers a product that suits their needs and budget.

5) Tait Tough

Tait portables are famous for being tough, but our Mobiles are tough as well. The TM9300 has a rugged build with an IP54 rating, water-resistant control head, and exceeds relevant MIL-STD-810G tests. You can rest assured that when you invest in a Tait mobile radio, it is an investment that will last.

Earlier this month the Melbourne Metropolitan Fire Brigade (MFB) held their Annual Firefighter Stair Climb, an event which saw 650 firefighters “stepping up to fight depression, post traumatic stress disorder, and suicide”. These fit men and women donned 25kg of full firefighting kit, including breathing apparatus, before climbing the28 floors of the Crown Metropol Hotel – essentially simulating the actions that a firefighter goes through when entering a burning high-rise building.

Tait is honored to have supported the Firefighter Stair Climb for the third year running, providing communications support to help ensure the event goes smoothly. Mental illness is a huge issue in today’s society, particularly within the Emergency Service and Defence community where 10% of their servicemen and women suffer from PTSD. This year AUD$494,993 has already been raised for the Firefighter’s Charity Fund, contributing to AUD$1.1 million total from previous events.

As a sponsor, we are offered a spot in the race every year and 2017 was Service Repair Manager Alasdair MacIntyre’s turn to step up to the challenge. Alasdair’s goal was to beat his colleague – and last year’s Tait participant – Support Delivery Manager Simon Nieper’s time, a feat Alasdair achieved in a very respectable 4 min 36 sec! This resulted in an overall placing of 23 out of 650 trained firefighters, making it well worth the effort of getting up early on a Saturday morning.

“In the early morning before the event took place, we had a talk from the organizers and some of the receiving charities. Hearing the roll call of firefighters that have taken their own lives really hit home as to the importance of getting these guys the help that they need in these hard times,” said Alasdair.

Congratulations to Alasdair and all who participated in the Stair Climb! We look forward to being part of this very worthy event again next year.

Alasdair MacIntyre, center, supported at the 2017 Melbourne Firefighter Stair Climb by two colleagues from the Tait Melbourne office

]]>https://blog.taitradio.com/2017/09/28/tait-staff-participates-in-2017-melbourne-firefighter-stair-climb/feed/07 Advantages of Rugged Radioshttps://blog.taitradio.com/2017/09/28/7-advantages-of-rugged-radios/
https://blog.taitradio.com/2017/09/28/7-advantages-of-rugged-radios/#respondWed, 27 Sep 2017 12:00:09 +0000http://blog.taitradio.com/?p=8272We consistently hear that having rugged radios is essential for mission critical users. In fact, a recent survey found that durability was the most valued feature for Tait customers:

Why are rugged radios so important to users? We believe there are several reasons:

1. Rugged radios survive the knocks and the drops

In the age of smartphones, most people know what it’s like to drop their phone. You get a sinking feeling in your stomach and hope that the screen wasn’t smashed, but more often than not, it’s trouble. If you have rugged radios, however, this won’t be an issue!

“We needed rugged radios, any police officer knows that your radio gets knocked over all the time. It can fly off your belt when you are running in pursuit, it can fall off your desk and on the ground, incidents like that, happen all the time. Tait radios proved tough.”

If you have rugged radios, then you never have to worry about dropping or breaking an expensive piece of equipment.

2. Lower Total Cost of Ownership

It’s a fact of life that you get what you pay for. For instance, I once bought three cheap pairs of socks for less than $1. They barely survived a week. After that I bought a some that had a higher price tag, but they’re still in great shape 5 years later. Radios are far more important than socks, so why risk buying something that won’t last?

Replacing a broken product costs money, and the more rugged your radio, the less you’ll have to replace it. If you choose a cheaper, less rugged radio, not only could you put your staff at risk, but you might actually lose money in the long run with all the replacements.

3. Don’t worry about getting it wet

Tait TP9300 and TP9400 radios are IP68 water and dust proof. This means they have been tested and proven to survive under a meter of water for 2 hours, or 2 meters of water for thirty minutes. Got work to do in the rain? No worries, your radio will keep working with you. Lots of water in the air as you fight fires? The rugged radio can take it. Dropped your radio in a creek? Fish it out and you can still connect with your team.

4. Clear audio, even in wet environments

Not only will a rugged radio from Tait survive water, the special design of our water-shedding grill can help ensure clear audio. In many radios, water can get stuck in the speaker microphone and muffle the audio. Users must normally shake the radio to get the water out, but not with Tait portables. We engineered the radio so that water naturally flows away from the speaker mic, allowing your users to focus on the job instead of shaking their radio.

5. Safer, more Efficient workforce

There is nothing more frustrating, or dangerous, than being out on the job and discovering your radio has broken and no longer works. Each member of a mission-critical organization needs to be able to communicate, and radios that are not rugged put them at risk. Investing in reliable and rugged radios, however, helps keep your team safe and working efficiently.

6. Less Maintenance

Not all radios that break need to be replaced. Some of them need to be repaired, which still costs you and your team time and money. Rugged radios, however, should require less maintenance because they are built tough. Fewer radios in the shop mean more radios in the field and more time for your team to focus on other tasks.

7. User Acceptance and Trust

Mission Critical users need tools they can trust and rely on. They often work dangerous jobs, and having a quality communication device gives them confidence. Here is how an Engineer of a Utility company described it:

“Having a quality product to count on during normal work as well as during emergency situations provides a level of comfort that increases morale in the users.”

If you make decisions about communications equipment, you want to ensure your users are happy. Giving them quality, rugged radios will give them confidence both in you and the system you’ve chosen.

Rugged Radios need Rugged Networks

It’s important to remember that rugged portable radios are only part of a robust and reliable radio network. If you truly want communications you can rely on, then your entire system must be built tough.

If you’d like to learn more about creating a tough network, then download our exclusive guide, 10 ways to Protect and Strengthen your LMR Network. The guide outlines different aspects that can positively influence your communications performance so it works when your people need it most, such as system design, security, hardware selection, and major events and emergencies.

]]>https://blog.taitradio.com/2017/09/28/7-advantages-of-rugged-radios/feed/0Top Benefits of Tait DMR Base Stationshttps://blog.taitradio.com/2017/09/27/top-benefits-of-tait-dmr-base-stations/
https://blog.taitradio.com/2017/09/27/top-benefits-of-tait-dmr-base-stations/#respondTue, 26 Sep 2017 12:00:18 +0000http://blog.taitradio.com/?p=8234To provide a simple introduction to the Tait DMR family of products, we’ve produced a series of videos each exploring the top benefits of various aspects of the solution. Today, we take a look at the Top 5 Benefits of the Tait DMR Base Stations, the TB7300 and the TB9300:

Top Benefits of the TB9300 and TB7300

In this post we’ll talk about the benefits of two different Tait Base Stations: The TB9300 and the TB7300. We’ll start by discussing some of the benefits that both of these provide, then look at how they are different.

Benefits of both Base Stations

Receiver Performance: The TB9300 and the TB7300 offer exceptional receiver performance and exceed or match all other DMR base stations on the market for sensitivity, selectivity and intermodulation performance. This means that the user gets extended talk-in (uplink) range as well as significantly increased resistance to interference for clearer, more consistent audio.

Remote Diagnostics and Management: Thanks to IP linking, the TB9300 and the TB7300 both offer comprehensive remote diagnostics and remote management. This enables you to maintain your system from the comfort of your desk and saves you a trip to the top of a mountain in terrible weather.

Smooth migration: Tait offers a range of flexible migration options. The TB9300 and the TB7300 can each be operated in multiple modes. The TB7300 has three modes, including Analog Conventional, DMR Tier 2, and DMR Tier 3. The TB9300 has four modes, and can operate in Analog Conventional, MPT-1327, DMR Tier 2, and DMR Tier 3. You can install the base station to operate on your existing network today, and then upgrade with ease when ready.

Differences between the Base Stations

Size and Weight: With an economical 1U design, the TB7300 is much smaller than the 4U TB9300. Weight is also noticeably different – the TB7300 weighs 6.7kg (or 14.8 pounds) while the TB9300 weighs 21.5kg (or 47.4 pounds).

Power Output: The TB7300 has a maximum 50W power output, while the TB9300 provides a maximum 100W power output.

PMU: The TB7300 does not have a Power Management Unit, or PMU, but the TB9300 does. This means the TB7300 power supply range must be 12VDC, but the TB9300 can handle several power supplies, including 12V, 24V, 48V and AC 88-264V.

Bands: The TB7300 is currently only available in VHF and UHF, but the TB9300 is available in VHF, UHF, 800, and 900 MHz

Modularity: The TB7300 is not modular, but the TB9300 is modular, which makes them easier to repair.

Here at Tait, we love both these base stations. While they do share a few strengths, there are some unique properties of each designed to meet different customer needs. Which base station is right for you? That depends on your requirements and budget. The TB7300 costs less, but doesn’t have all the features of the TB9300.

Fortunately, the two base stations can work together on the same network, and because they adhere to DMR open standards, they can also interoperate with other vendors’ DMR solutions.

And those are the top benefits of the Tait DMR base stations. If you’d like to learn more about their features and functionalities, you can contact us to discuss your needs or refer to the TB9300 and TB7300 specification sheets. You can also learn more about other elements of the complete Tait DMR solution by watching the other videos in this series.

]]>https://blog.taitradio.com/2017/09/27/top-benefits-of-tait-dmr-base-stations/feed/0Event Recap: TNZ Dealer Summit 2017https://blog.taitradio.com/2017/09/22/event-recap-tnz-dealer-summit-2017/
https://blog.taitradio.com/2017/09/22/event-recap-tnz-dealer-summit-2017/#respondThu, 21 Sep 2017 13:00:23 +0000http://blog.taitradio.com/?p=8245This month, the Tait NZ team held their annual summit for the national dealer network in Queenstown, New Zealand. More than 80 attendees representing dealers from all over the country, staff from Tait Communications and Logic Wireless, as well as a handful of Tait Technology Partners, gathered in the beautiful adventure capital.

Senior Design Engineers Jeremy Campbell and Daniel Hughes presented live demonstrations of features like WiFi Over the Air Programming (OTAP) on Enable Fleet, geofencing on mobile radios, and a Satellite Worker Safety solution.

With the Worker Safety solution, a user can send an emergency message via satellite, providing a reliable way to signal for help outside of LMR or cellular coverage. Jeremy also demonstrated our geofencing capabilities, which generated a lot of discussion, ideas and excitement from the dealers present. Use cases include enabling Lone Worker based on location (for security) and status updates based on location (for worker safety). Similarly, the dealers were excited by the potential of EnableFleet, which gives users total visibility and management of their radio fleet from a central point of control.

Next door, John Graham showed off the Tait UnifiedVehicle App Builder’s easy to use ‘sandbox’ interface and powerful capabilities on the big screen.

The event ended with a Gala Dinner and Awards ceremony, where top performing dealers were recognized for their achievements and all attendees enjoyed a keynote presentation from entrepreneur and business consultant Hamish Nuttall.

]]>https://blog.taitradio.com/2017/09/22/event-recap-tnz-dealer-summit-2017/feed/0Tait first to offer digital Band III in the UKhttps://blog.taitradio.com/2017/09/08/tait-first-to-offer-digital-band-iii-in-the-uk/
https://blog.taitradio.com/2017/09/08/tait-first-to-offer-digital-band-iii-in-the-uk/#respondFri, 08 Sep 2017 07:01:48 +0000http://blog.taitradio.com/?p=8222Tait DMR is the first choice for digital Band III frequencies in the UK

In today’s world of congested spectrum, there are plenty of Band III (175-225MHz) frequencies available in the UK, suitable for campus and wide area applications, including major urban areas nationwide. Until now, your only choice for operation in these frequencies has been analogue.

Now, Tait can help you upgrade your Band III analogue system to DMR, with the first digital Band III offering on the market. Based on our tried and tested 9300 series portables, mobile and DMR infrastructure you can have the advantages of digital radio with the confidence of products that have been going strong for years.

Whether you’ve been waiting to migrate your Band III analogue system to digital, or you are looking for new spectrum to solve your congestion woes, you need to talk to Tait today.

If you are considering a new radio system or a replacement/upgrade of your existing system, choosing the right technology is of prime importance. The decision to use a particular technology should always be based on best fit to achieve the project’s objectives.

This white paperComparing Voice Coverage: DMR and TETRA, provides a technical comparison between DMR and TETRA voice coverage, providing a simple ratio between the number of base stations each requires to cover a given area. Both downlink (base station to terminals), and uplink (terminals to base station) paths are considered, across both urban and rural terrains.

It discusses the measurable factors affecting coverage, how they affect relative coverage between these two technologies and explains how the conclusions were reached.

]]>https://blog.taitradio.com/2017/09/08/tait-first-to-offer-digital-band-iii-in-the-uk/feed/0Continuing to Deliver: Tait Network Stands Stronghttps://blog.taitradio.com/2017/08/30/continuing-to-deliver-tait-network-stands-strong/
https://blog.taitradio.com/2017/08/30/continuing-to-deliver-tait-network-stands-strong/#respondTue, 29 Aug 2017 13:00:32 +0000http://blog.taitradio.com/?p=8201At Tait, we strive to design our products and solutions to endure, to continue providing our customers with the benefits and improvements they sought when choosing us in the first place. So when we hear customers are equally as happy with their Tait system years after installation as they were to start, we know we’ve succeeded. Years after their transition to a new Tait P25 system, one particular public safety agency in Washington state continues to have total confidence in their network.

In 2013, MACC 911 in Grant County, WA chose Tait to upgrade their aging VHF system to a Tait P25 trunked simulcast network. We worked closely with them on a complex and innovative network design to address several unique hurdles. You can read ouroriginal case study here.

Since the new system was installed, MACC 911 has improved their overall operations, responding to incidents more quickly and efficiently. Their officers have experienced increased safety, and all users on the network are able to communicate when it matters most.

MACC 911 Technical Services Manager, Dean Hane, agrees that the increase in productivity, coverage, and worker safety is a direct result of the Tait solution, and allows them to better protect the property and assets in their community.

Hane says that compared to their previous solution, the Tait network performance and reliability is excellent, and users have absolute confidence in the products and solutions.

Tait is proud to assist the officers of Grant County in serving their community.

]]>https://blog.taitradio.com/2017/08/30/continuing-to-deliver-tait-network-stands-strong/feed/0FUSION Voice – Underground, in-vehicle Wi-Fi push-to-talkhttps://blog.taitradio.com/2017/08/25/fusion-voice-underground-in-vehicle-wi-fi-push-to-talk/
https://blog.taitradio.com/2017/08/25/fusion-voice-underground-in-vehicle-wi-fi-push-to-talk/#respondFri, 25 Aug 2017 03:28:12 +0000http://blog.taitradio.com/?p=8197Tait Communications (Tait) and MST Global (MST) are proud to announce FUSION Voice, a world-first for underground mining and tunneling communications. FUSION Voice offers an in-vehicle radio that can operate in VoIP mode from the underground WiFi network and, at the push of a button, operate via the UHF or VHF radio system that may be in place.

FUSION Voice is the result of a joint development project between Tait and MST, integrating MST’s communication-over-Wi-Fi expertise with the Tait Unified Vehicle platform to form one in-vehicle, push-to talk unit. FUSION Voice enables access to reliable, dedicated voice communication over WiFi networks from inside a vehicle.

Tait and MST are committed to increasing productivity and safety in underground environments, and this collaboration offers something that has been missing from the market as more mines and tunnels look to replace Leaky Feeder with WiFi networks. In August it was announced that FUSION Voice is a finalist in the 2017 NCE Tunneling Awards for Innovative Technology of the Year, see the awards shortlist here.

“Tait are proud to be working with MST to provide new solutions for customer’s business challenges,” says Bruce Magee, General Manager for Mining, Oil and Gas at Tait Communications. “The Tait Unified Vehicle platform provides more connectivity options and edge computing power for customers. MST have used both aspects to deliver FUSION Voice.”

A VoIP equivalent of a traditional mobile radio, FUSION Voice can operate on any 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi network, and is specifically optimised for roaming on the MST IMPACT software network, supporting central configuration. The unit can then be switched to operate on a range UHF or VHF radio systems, including DMR Tier 2 conventional, DMR Tier 3 trunking, and conventional analog.

Increasing safety via reliable, multi-platform communication, FUSION Voice can be used for push-to-talk operation with the MST MinePhone, providing 32 channels (30 PTT, one Broadcast and one Emergency). It enables greater productivity and safety, by extending site-wide communications.

Tait and MST will showcase FUSION Voice at AIMEX in Sydney Australia 29-31 August 2017, at booth 4136. You can find more information about FUSION Voice on the MST website.

The Tait Unified Vehicle platform

Tait Unified Vehicle provides a vehicle area network that combines wide area mobile radio and WiFi connectivity with an on-board edge computing and application platform. Integrated into a familiar Tait mobile radio, Tait Unified Vehicle allows customers to leverage their investment in an existing radio network, while providing a platform for the future.

Tait support for open standards continues to deliver more choice, flexibility and long term value for our customers – examples include P25, DMR, IP, and WiFi standards. Tait Unified Vehicle runs on a flexible, embedded Linux operating system with ability to host a number of applications that improve a customer’s communications experience, operational efficiency and worker safety.

The Tait Unified Vehicle platform enables WiFi programming for fleet management, voice and emergency calls from Android devices over the radio network, as well as on board voice recording. It provides a WLAN (wireless local area network) around the vehicle for WiFi devices to connect to, or can connect to other WLANs.

]]>https://blog.taitradio.com/2017/08/25/fusion-voice-underground-in-vehicle-wi-fi-push-to-talk/feed/0Improve Mine Safety & Productivity with Digital Mobile Radiohttps://blog.taitradio.com/2017/08/25/improve-mine-safety-productivity-with-digital-mobile-radio/
https://blog.taitradio.com/2017/08/25/improve-mine-safety-productivity-with-digital-mobile-radio/#respondThu, 24 Aug 2017 13:00:54 +0000http://blog.taitradio.com/?p=8192With mine workers and heavy machinery operating in confined spaces, it takes constant vigilance and communication to ensure safe and profitable mining operations. Most mines can do without one of their production information systems for short periods, but when a site’s radio communications go down, everything must stop.

In South Africa recently, a 5.5 magnitude earthquake shook large parts of the country, causing one death and the evacuation of thousands of miners from the Great Noligwa and Moab Khotsong mines in the North-West province.

Such tremors are not frequent occurrences in South Africa, but seismologists have warned of more frequent events as a result of underground mining. Deep mining’s cocktail of explosives, mechanization, confined work areas, ventilation, poor visibility; the risk of rock fall becomes even more hazardous when earthquakes happen.

When emergency action is needed, resilient and efficient communication is imperative.

“Every second is crucial,” says Trevor Roslee, System Sales Specialist for Emcom Wireless, who is assisting several Southern African mines to upgrade their radio communication systems. “Disastrous incidents like the collapse of an underground tunnel are almost always associated with panic, shock and confusion that often lead to impulsive actions. This is where injury and loss of life can occur.”

Clear, efficiently managed and controlled radio communication mitigates the risks associated with mining activities. By facilitating a seamless flow of voice and data, modern mobile radio enables decision-makers to continuously monitor conditions and to take immediate action and allocate appropriate resource where they are needed.

“In a crisis, you want to know where everyone is at that exact moment, their status, whether they’re secure, trapped or injured and what resources are available to be deployed to attend to them,” Roslee says.

Some mines continue to rely on older analog mobile radio equipment, many of which are stretched to their operating limits. Modern digital mobile radio (DMR) improves safety performance by enabling transmission of supporting data and applications alongside clear voice communication.

Voice recording is a common feature customers use on their DMR systems. Being able to review what was said, when, allows operators to learn from incidents and better prepare for future events.

“DMR allows you to integrate technologies like Bluetooth to interface with devices like heart-rate and other biometric monitors. Real-time tracking of such sensors reporting through mine workers’ digital handheld radios means you could even define whether a person’s fallen,” he says.

In the early days of deep underground mining, hundreds of communication lines criss-crossed each operation, and a morse-code-like bell or knock system was deployed to relay messages. Today, mobile radio has evolved to such an extent the technology makes it possible to integrate with other communications systems, such as cellular telephony, PABX and landline. A mobile radio operating on a suitably designed network can call a GSM phone or PABX extension, and vice versa.

In a disaster, a miner underground can be linked through their mobile radio network to a medical emergency center hundreds of kilometers away for instant assistance.

“We need to ensure our communications backbone and infrastructure is ready for events such as the recent quake,” said Roslee. He often sees sites where the mine operator has neglected to appropriately upgrade radio communication, only to notice its critical importance when the radio system goes down.

Mine radio communications networks are critical infrastructure, and should be subject to the same attention as other key tools, plant, technologies and equipment, he advises.

DMR technology facilitates an always-on, always-available, bespoke, integrated solution. It enables better audio quality, better battery life and lower infrastructure costs over wide operational areas. Sites’ legacy analog radio systems can be migrated to DMR on the same licensed frequencies, without significant disruption of critical operations.

]]>https://blog.taitradio.com/2017/08/25/improve-mine-safety-productivity-with-digital-mobile-radio/feed/0Connection 8: Migrating to Digital, Without the Tearshttps://blog.taitradio.com/2017/08/25/connection-8-migrating-to-digital-without-the-tears/
https://blog.taitradio.com/2017/08/25/connection-8-migrating-to-digital-without-the-tears/#respondThu, 24 Aug 2017 13:00:13 +0000http://blog.taitradio.com/?p=8165The following is an article from the latest issue of Connection magazine. In this piece, we compare the benefits of digital radio to analog, dispelling some of the myths around migrating to a modern digital radio network.

All over the world, organizations continue to use legacy analog radio networks, despite the business and safety benefits afforded by digital radio. Sometimes, that is because of a perception that migrating is a painful process. It doesn’t need to be.

Analog radio networks have served operators well for decades. When a service becomes so ubiquitous and trusted, the notion of ever replacing it can be a difficult one. On top of that, the perceived cost and disruption of replacing your communications infrastructure can be daunting. It’s easy to understand why many organizations adopt an “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” attitude, and continue to use sub-optimal technology, despite rising maintenance costs.

While analog radio is without question a well-established medium, digital radio is no fad. For example, the DMR (Digital Mobile Radio) standard was published over a decade ago. It’s a mature, well-defined and trusted open standard, with an increasing presence around the world.

Why go digital?

After decades of service, older analog radio networks are reaching the end of their economic and technological life-cycle. Some will be obsolete or unsupported in just a few years. Fortunately, digital mobile radio offers tangible advantages that create valuable business efficiencies and workplace safety.

DMR delivers full feature-parity with analog radio. All the familiar benefits that you and your workforce rely on are available, so it’s easy to integrate DMR into your workplace processes. Beyond the standard voice communications that you’re familiar with, DMR offers some powerful additional benefits:

Clear, reliable voice calls. Breakdown in voice communication can drastically impact operational efficiency – even lead to serious worker safety issues. It’s important that the communication tools your workforce uses deliver the clearest, most accurate transmission available. DMR voice communication is undiminished, right to the edge of coverage.

Open standards. DMR is an open digital mobile radio standard used by utilities, transport agencies, mining, oil and gas companies around the world. In most cases, products that meet the DMR standard can interoperate with other standards-compliant DMR network, providing choice and competitive pricing for hardware.

Ease of migration. DMR transmission technology is very similar to analog radio, meaning the process of upgrading may be easier and less expensive than you might think. Many modern base stations are capable of operating in both analog and digital modes, with the process of migration in mind.

The way forward

Though the benefits of upgrading may be obvious, the hurdles associated with change can seem overwhelming: the prospect of communications downtime is every organization’s worst nightmare.

The key challenge in replacing any crucial workplace tool is avoiding disruption. Fortunately, there are flexible, staged migration solutions that mitigate the downtime, cost and inconvenience. It’s now entirely possible to integrate your existing systems and migrate to digital platforms at your own pace. In this way, you can fully capitalize on your existing system, while taking advantage of the benefits of a digital platform.

Whatever your motivations to move to digital radio, you can choose a strategy that fits. You can future-proof your communications infrastructure, refresh your fleet, even double your capacity, and make the upgrade to digital on a flexible, staged schedule that suits your business objectives and budget.

Good migrations

The key to easy network migration is flexibility. That means infrastructure and terminals that can operate in both analog and digital modes; with a simple software upgrade to give you a seamless transition from your current analog system to a feature-rich, digital network when you are ready.

Digital-ready terminals and base stations let you spread costs and installation overhead over a transition period that suits you. You can begin refreshing your fleet today, with multi-mode portable and mobile radios that operate in analog mode, with no interruption to business as usual. Once you’ve installed a digital network, it’s a simple matter to switch your terminals to digital.

Multi-mode base stations running in analog mode can replace old analog site equipment right now, ready to be switched to digital mode when your fleet is upgraded. Some modern base stations even offer functionality to bridge analog and digital systems, letting you gradually transition to full digital operation in phases, as your budget and needs dictate.

This flexible process is helping organizations around the world make the transition from analog to digital radio surprisingly painless. The safety and efficiency benefits offered by a modern digital communication network are accessible through a hassle-free migration, on your own terms.

Ready to go digital? Find out the benefits Tait DMR can offer your organization here. Read more educational and thought-provoking pieces from Connection Issue 8, and be sure to subscribe to be the first to know when new issues are released.

For years, System Designer Barry Crates has been immersed in the technology of radio communications networks, calculating system capacity, crafting specific solutions to client needs, and mapping customer requirements to the real-world challenges of system design. That is all essential, important and highly-skilled work.

Like many engineers, Barry saw Change Management as the responsibility of those who work in Human Resources – a “soft and fluffy” aspect of business operations that would happen long after the system design was safely locked in place. Tasked with designing a system for a complex Australasian transport network, he quickly discovered that this was a customer with different ideas.

While it is not unusual to see Change Management specified and provisioned in a project, it was certainly different to see it specified as an end-to-end activity, that was everyone’s responsibility, and as critical to the project outcome as any technical solution. This customer had identified Change Management as crucial to their safety goals; that no change could occur unless they were satisfied that the public and their staff would be safe.

Suddenly, system design was about so much more than RF coverage, channel capacity, and system monitoring. It was all about the people, and how every system design element must be specifically engineered to keep them safe and able to do their job effectively.

Here was an organization committed to doing things differently. Their project team showed a deep understanding of the changes that workers would need to make, in the way that they worked. The massive scope of the project would mean a transition over several years, with several potentially-disruptive changes along the way. At every decision point, safety of their workers and the public were the first priority.

To ease that transition, Tait system designers would need to match the current user experience as closely as possible at every step towards the new communications solution. They would need to consult, consider and communicate with users, long before the usual pre-deployment training. Failure to address their concerns and suggestions, or to give them plenty of warning of the impending change risked uncertainty and resistance. They needed to be able to pick up a new radio and instinctively know how to use it, based simply on their knowledge of their existing radio solution. Change to the user interface was to be minimal.

Tait was contracted to educate radio users prior to any change occurring, then refreshers closer to deployment, with the responsibility for managing the change shared between Tait and our customer.

The first barrier to that was the conventional approach. Barry explains: “A customer’s migration to a new communication system looks very different to them, than it does to us as a supplier.” He believes it is difficult for suppliers to see beyond the technology they are providing. However, for most organisations, the changes to their communications technology are usually just a small part of wider organisational change in the way they carry out their work. They want communications that don’t get in the way of their work. To completely understand their requirements, suppliers need to understand the nature of their customer’s business. “To do that,” says Barry, “we questioned everything. We asked why, over and over again, until we were completely satisfied we had uncovered the reason behind each requirement.”

One of the common pitfalls that this approach will unearth, is where customers may be swayed by what others in their industry are telling them. It is important to understand the current state of the industry you operate in, but it is equally important to understand when there is a better, cheaper, or easier way to get what you need.

“In the end, we became so familiar with their organization – and what is important to them at every level – that we all began to feel that this change process was a true partnership.”

Barry quickly embraced the ADKAR® principles, developed by Change Management specialist Prosci. He believes it aligns neatly with project management and system design processes, and demands communication at every level of an organisation, which in turn makes that end-to-end change management approach simple and logical.

Change can be difficult, messy, time-consuming and frustrating. And it doesn’t happen in isolation. When the change involves something as fundamental as communications Barry believes that project teams should keep reviewing, keep an open mind, and respond quickly when the plan isn’t working.

“Technology alone never changed anything,” says Barry. “For engineers, good change management humanizes the design process, helping system designers understand where the technology fits into the worker’s day. And without workers at all levels understanding and embracing the changes, everything is destined to remain the same.”

Adopting the principles of change management as a discipline means that changes occur faster, more efficiently, and with less resistance. This engineer has seen the proof.

“From a young age I was doing healthcare assisting and I just loved helping people… from there I knew it was something I wanted to do.” – Brooke Collis, St John

The professionalism and commitment of first responders makes a huge contribution to community wellbeing. In New Zealand, the Tait Foundation supports efforts to help ambulance officers gain higher qualifications and skills. Here, Brooke Collis talks about what attracted her to becoming an ambulance officer, and what she hopes will result from her Tait-supported study towards a bachelor’s degree in Health Science (Paramedic).

In the critical communications market, the addition of smartphones, tablets and all the apps and information flow they enable is significantly influencing customer expectations of enhanced communications and productivity.

Ellery Hurn, Tait’s Product Manager for Partner Products, says that this “convergence of technologies we’re seeing in the market is creating both heightened expectation and anxiety among customers. The concern is that the promise of these newer technologies will not eventuate or will not integrate well with their tried and true mobile radio systems.”

He adds that formalising the longstanding relationship with FreshRF is a logical move, as we will be able to expand technology and market opportunities together to deliver real value to our customers.

The FreshRF SmartBridge products combine the app-level ease of deployment, use and management with the robust critical communications capabilities of Tait’s modern radio system. Andrew Thompson, Chief Executive of FreshRF, says, “we are particularly excited about the opportunities around DMR Tier 3 as this standard is now bedded in and offers a solid platform for future innovation.”

Tait and FreshRF have worked together on solutions in North America, Australia and New Zealand.

As a global leader in two-way radio with a focus on innovation, we are always looking for ways to deliver innovative ideas and complete solutions for our customers. The Tait Technology Program enables us to do so by supporting suppliers who bring complementary technologies and skills, so we can offer a wide array of choices and options to create the best solution for you.

With a young crew led by Olympic gold medalist Peter Burling, Team New Zealand began the America’s Cup match down a point as a challenger team, but the tide turned after an incredibly successful opening weekend, and they sailed their way to a stellar win this morning.

Tait is the Official Supplier of secure mobile communications equipment. The team is equipped with 22 of the latest Tait TP9400 digital portable radios, providing the sailors and support crew with highly secure, crystal-clear communications on the water. Featuring the same sophisticated encryption employed by police forces around the globe, the radios prevent the interception of sensitive communications to keep ETNZ’s team secrets safe from competitors. Highly rugged design and build also means they can withstand the harsh marine environment in which the team operates.

You can also learn more about Tait P25, or take a look at some of our other fascinating Client Stories to see how Tait is bringing secure, reliable communications solutions to organizations around the globe.

“Now we have effective coordination across the whole site, which means a massive improvement in health and safety preparedness.”Mitch King – Food and Beverage Manager

The Hobbiton Movie Set is one of New Zealand’s must-see tourist attractions, with iconic sets that featured in the Peter Jackson directed The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit trilogy films. Occupying 12 acres in the midst of a working farm, and with over 200 staff members, the set sees up to 3,000 visitors a day in peak season. Fully guided tours take staff and visitors all over the site, often out of range of cellphone coverage.

Source: Hobbiton Movie Set

The Movie Set staff had an existing Tait analog radio network that operated on a single channel with no repeater, which made coordination a challenge when navigating a site filled with rolling hills. To coordinate amongst themselves, “we basically had to jump in a vehicle and drive around the site”, says Mitch King, Food and Beverage Manager. With business rapidly growing, better communications became an increasingly pressing need within and between various groups such as operations, food and beverage, and maintenance staff.

Source: Hobbiton Movie Set

Alcom Radio Communications, Rotorua was called in to advise. After an in-depth consultation and a portable repeater trial on-site, Ken Glass from Alcom recommended and supplied a Tait DMR Tier 2 solution with TP9310 radios and a Hytera repeater. Now, the team works on three channels – tour guides are in one group, food and beverage staff in another, and the grounds and maintenance team are in the third. Supervisor radios are programmed to be able to monitor and priority call their teams if necessary, and colour-coded terminals facilitate ease of use and quick recognition for teams on the go.

Source: Hobbiton Movie Set

Transitioning from Tait analog to a digital system has provided the Hobbiton Movie Set with clear and reliable voice communications. “Many others seeking to find a cost effective, customised communication system for improved operations and safety could benefit from this approach”, says Ken, from Alcom. Mitch King adds that Hobbiton now has “coordinated communications across the whole site, which means a massive improvement in health and safety preparedness, and ability to respond to any incidents. Ultimately, the new radio system has made a huge difference in our ability to ensure a quality experience”.

You can also learn more about Digital Mobile Radio (DMR), or take a look at some of our other fascinating Client Stories to see how Tait is bringing safety and efficiency to industries around the globe.

“We chose DMR Tier 3 because the data capability matched our requirements and would allow us to migrate our existing analog voice traffic in the future. The digital system is also easily expandable to reflect on-going growth.”Damien White, CEO – TasRail

Tasmanian Rail (TasRail) operates the main-line railways in the southern Australian state. It is a world-class, fully integrated short-haul rail freight business; owning and operating both the fixed track and infrastructure and the rolling stock. TasRail is owned by the Tasmania State Government, employs 260 direct employees and is committed to delivering “transport and logistics solutions that are safe, reliable and sustainable.”

Bringing in a new train control system (TCS) meant TasRail needed a digital communications network to transport data between the control system servers and computers fitted to locomotives and other track vehicles. Their existing TaitNet analog mobile radio network could not do this but the rail company was keen to continue working with Tait Communications, and were enthusiastic about Tait’s cutting-edge, open standards-based digital technology.

TasRail Chief Executive Officer Damien White explains, “We wanted to work with an experienced and trusted partner to deliver another critical communications system we could rely on to help us provide improved services to our customers and increased worker safety.”

The Tait DMR solution signals where TasRail trains are at designated points on the track, and enables them to more efficiently use the track by increasing the number and frequency of trains and freight. In addition to these efficiency gains, the DMR network has the capability to provide full automation of work orders – for instance, requesting and granting permissions to move to another section of track – further improving worker and asset safety. The added long term bonus is that – if TasRail’s requirements change – the DMR network is also easily expandable, with the capability to carry both voice and data traffic.

You can also learn more about Digital Mobile Radio (DMR), find out what Tait DMR can do for the transport industry, or take a look at some of our other fascinating Client Stories to see how Tait is bringing safety and efficiency to industries around the globe.

The Tri-County Metropolitan Transportation District of Oregon (TriMet) is the sole provider of mass transit for the Portland Metro region of Oregon, U.S.A. With an average weekday ridership of about 322,000 passengers, they operate around a fleet of 1,426 vehicles, including light rail vehicles, buses, paratransit vehicles and a range of other vehicles for maintenance and field operation.

The Federal Communications Commission had given an order requiring TriMet to narrow-band their old analog 450 UHF system. At this point, TriMet leased half of their radios from the City of Portland and so decided to transition to a single TriMet-owned radio system. Their new solution needed to provide interoperability with related agencies, as well as reliably support and enhance worker safety for employees across their entire network – in emergency situations, as well as day-to-day activities. This is especially vital for Maintenance of Way staff that maintain the light rail network used by the rail vehicles, when trains are in the vicinity of their work.

Along with Tait Communications as the chosen radio supplier, other vendors such as General Electric, Avtec, Xcel and Cobham were chosen to supply other parts of the P25 network. After thorough background checks, TriMet “found that everybody that had worked with Tait in the past loved them,” says A.J. O’Connor, TriMet Manager of Intelligent Transportation Systems. Tait was also chosen for our willingness to customize the solution. TriMet’s new system incorporates a Tait custom solution for AVL, called SPDS (slotted polling data system), which provides high throughput position updates for their public transport fleet.

Transitioning to a digital system powered by Tait radios has provided TriMet with clear, crisp voice communications that give them the crucial, reliable contact they need in daily operations. Confidence in their communications system has increased, and overall productivity has also improved. “The Tait system is critical to worker safety,” notes O’Connor, and gives staff the constant contact with rail control that they need to keep safe.

The new system has also improved safety for bus operators with the silent alarm feature and emergency buttons on the portable radios. Geo-location capabilities provide confidence that if someone needs help and is unable to tell dispatch where they are, dispatch staff will still be able to locate them quickly.

Having experienced the Tait consultative approach, Mr. O’Connor summed up the process of working with Tait and our resilient, reliable products and solutions, saying Tait is “small enough to provide good customer service, large enough to deliver high quality products”.

Find out more about Tait products and solutions for transport agencies here.

]]>https://blog.taitradio.com/2017/06/07/client-story-tait-helps-portland-mass-transit-keep-its-workers-safe/feed/0Technology Partner Spotlight: Tallysman Wirelesshttps://blog.taitradio.com/2017/05/18/technology-partner-spotlight-tallysman-wireless/
https://blog.taitradio.com/2017/05/18/technology-partner-spotlight-tallysman-wireless/#respondWed, 17 May 2017 16:00:33 +0000http://blog.taitradio.com/?p=7946We are always looking for ways to deliver innovative ideas and solutions for our customers. The Tait Technology Partner Program enables us to do so by offering a wide array of choices and options to create the best solution for you. A valued Endorsed Technology Partner, Tallysman Wireless is a developer, provider, and manufacturer of Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) products and GPS Fleet Management solutions for two way radio systems. Read on to find out how Tallysman and Tait team up to benefit your organization.

Tallysman offer a wide range of products that integrate with Tait solutions and networks, providing unique radio solutions for public safety agencies, utilities, government services, and transport providers. They are a key partner on our P25 EnableLocation solution for workforce and asset tracking. Watch a video on EnableLocation below and read more here.

Coming soon from the Tait and Tallysman collaboration is TruDispatch for control stations, so stay tuned! In the meantime, below is an introduction to more of our combined offerings.

TruFleet® Solutions include a series of applications for the school bus industry, offering educational administrative staff increased situational awareness and allowing them to provide timely responses to things such as parental enquiries.

Available on both P25 and DMR networks, TruFleet Solutions provide Emergency Management officials with information that improves situational awareness and enables them to make informed decisions based on real time updates from first responders.

Working together with Tallysman has allowed us to develop these solutions for a diverse range of industries, customized to meet industry-specific needs. For more information on any of these solutions, get in touch with us today!

To get updates as our posts get published, subscribe via email below:

Email Address

]]>https://blog.taitradio.com/2017/05/18/technology-partner-spotlight-tallysman-wireless/feed/0Connection 8: Beyond Monitor and Controlhttps://blog.taitradio.com/2017/05/15/connection-8-beyond-monitor-and-control/
https://blog.taitradio.com/2017/05/15/connection-8-beyond-monitor-and-control/#respondMon, 15 May 2017 04:09:28 +0000http://blog.taitradio.com/?p=7989The following is an article from the latest issue of Connection magazine, a collection of educational and thought-leading articles focusing on critical communications, wireless and radio technology. In this piece, Philip Mullins explains why the challenge for utilities is no longer just to know what is happening – it is the capacity to act on it.

No matter where in the world they operate, every utility is confronted by multiple business drivers competing for scarce resources and imposing change on their business environment. Utilities who have already begun the journey to modernization have discovered that, by changing the way they think and act, they can often satisfy multiple business objectives with a single investment.

HOW DATA ANALYSIS IS CHANGING THE WAY UTILITIES THINK

Grid automation and analytics are game-changers, certain to be at the forefront of developments down the track. But for now, most utilities simply want to access devices, monitor and manage them. That may not be as advanced as automated fault detection, or complex distance-to-fault calculations, but it is incredibly practical, and saves utilities a ton of money. Data that is already available can be used to anticipate faults, take proactive measures to prevent outages, and provide insights that improve planning and management of the grid.

This goes well beyond monitor and control of assets. It means reusing data intelligently, and developing ways to analyze and apply those new insights. Let’s look at the business benefits coming out of grid modernization right now:

• STRATEGIC PRIORITIZATION JUSTIFIES CONTINUED OPTIMIZATION

If you start by targeting the infrastructure and equipment that costs the most to get to, then deploy a radio terminal to remotely monitor and manage each of those, chances are each terminal will pay for itself in just one callout. You can prove a demonstrable return on investment by comparing reduced (or avoided) outages to justify further terminal deployments.

• REMOTE ASSET MONITORING AND MANAGEMENT IS REDUCING TRUCK ROLLS

One large US power utility (with an electricity customer base of more than two million), has estimated their average cost of a truck roll at $500 – labor, fuel, insurance, vehicle expenses etc. Using government grant money to upgrade their communications monitoring and visibility, they eliminated 130,000 truck rolls a year – over 350 a day. That saves them an estimated US$65M each year from just that one benefit; there are many others that will multiply savings and efficiencies.

With this level of monitoring and control, grid reports tell you where the fault is, and what the system did mitigate the problem. You can dispatch resource to the right place with the right skills, equipment and tools to fully restore service on the first trip. And ultimately, that keeps both customers and regulators happy. In a C3 Energy Report filed with the US Dept. of Energy, Duke Energy reported $330M in benefits from this implementation.

Tuning the system to a slightly lower voltage forms the basis of virtual power plants, that reduce consumption through voltage reduction caused by fluctuating renewables output. The system absorbs the variability, yet it still delivers a constant output to the consumer.

Traditionally, maintenance schedules had little to do with the condition of assets, and everything to do with the calendar. Using returned poll responses to provide a continuous view of voltage, current and phase, analytics can associate high stress events, peak voltage, currents, and durations, to show exactly what an asset has experienced. Is it within the normal limits? Accumulated stress events mean you can predict and prevent failures, understand your assets’ overall condition and predict life expectancy. Load balancing schemes can take the stress off.

Even from the data you currently collect, we can see that the power of math is limitless in the insights it can provide. Analytics can correlate, parse, model, estimate and massage until there are sufficient insights to drive actions. The challenge for utilities is no longer just to know what is happening – it is the capacity to act on it.

This article is extracted from a free Tait White Paper, “Modernize Your Grid”. Download the full paper here. Read more thought-provoking articles from Issue 8 of Connection magazine here, and make sure to subscribe to be the first to know when new issues are released.

]]>https://blog.taitradio.com/2017/05/15/connection-8-beyond-monitor-and-control/feed/0Tait Tough Helps Set a New Recordhttps://blog.taitradio.com/2017/05/05/tait-tough-helps-set-a-new-record/
https://blog.taitradio.com/2017/05/05/tait-tough-helps-set-a-new-record/#respondThu, 04 May 2017 15:30:38 +0000http://blog.taitradio.com/?p=7948Today we’re excited to share the latest Tait Tough story with you: our radios were part of the world’s longest canyoning expedition!

In Spring 2016 a group of 8 professional Canyoneers from around the world gathered in Taiwan to set a new milestone in expedition canyoning. It was an epic 8-day mission where the group explored the Malishan Canyon. They started with limited information from satellite pictures, a map that was rarely updated, and a few stories from locals. The team completed the mission, becoming the first to ever achieve a canyon descent of that length.

Conditions were tough throughout the journey. The group endured significant rain, waterfalls, landfalls, rocks, and raging rivers. This canyon expedition presented many situations where they could not see their teammates, but clear communication was essential for safety. Tait Tough TP9300s were ready for the job.

In this video, you can hear what the group had to say about the experience and the importance of the Tait radios:

The filmaker, Moritz Sonntag, had this to say “We had to deal with some very tough situations. Sometimes we didn’t have any visibility to navigate, so the communication via radios for the track searching team members was the only way to navigate. To achieve something that has never been done before, you need to rely on your equipment. Electronics and water usually don’t fit together, but the radios by Tait offered us a 100% waterproof solution*, that was not only a huge help in achieving our goals, but also ensured our safety in a lot of the given situations.”

A 50 minute documentary of their adventure has been released. It’s an epic story and definitely worth watching! Check out the the movie preview below, or see the whole story on their website or Vimeo.

If your organization also needs equipment you can rely on, then visit our new Build Your Own Radio tool to create a Tait Tough radio built specifically for you.

*Tait TP9300 radios have IP68 certification, which means they have been independently tested and shown to survive water immersion to a depth of two meters for thirty minutes or a depth of one meter for two hours. Learn more in the TP9300 specification sheet.

]]>https://blog.taitradio.com/2017/05/05/tait-tough-helps-set-a-new-record/feed/0Connection 8: Zero Harm? The Technology Paradox in the Workplacehttps://blog.taitradio.com/2017/05/02/zero-harm-the-technology-paradox-in-the-workplace/
https://blog.taitradio.com/2017/05/02/zero-harm-the-technology-paradox-in-the-workplace/#respondMon, 01 May 2017 15:34:15 +0000http://blog.taitradio.com/?p=7933It goes without saying that some jobs are riskier than others, and the 21st century has seen governments and regulators focus on mitigating some alarming statistics. In this article, Dr Jan Noordhof looks at who is most at risk, how the stats are trending, and why technology may well raise as many questions as it answers.

Most of us go to work confident that we won’t be killed or maimed on the job. We expect that our normal conditions of work will be safe and that risks in the event of an emergency will be managed in such a way as to minimize loss of life or damage to our health. We take all of this for granted, blissfully unaware of how much of occupational health and safety law is recent history, how much it varies from place to place and industry to industry, and how technology is proving itself a double-edged sword – by both creating new opportunities for worker protection, and also exposing them to new risks.

Who is at risk?

Being a member of a bomb disposal squad is inherently riskier than being a librarian. The former has fewer manageable risks and presents more probable and more catastrophic hazards (being blown up). Manageability is the key here.

Working as a fire fighter is undoubtedly risky, but public safety agencies have hard-won understanding of those risks, a healthy regard for preserving their critical resources (people), and well-established processes and tools for keeping their people safe. It is interesting to note that the major cause of firefighter fatality is not what we might imagine, but rather, caused by overexertion and stress. This is not to diminish the risk to firefighters, but based on employer-reported injuries and deaths in US, the most dangerous industries are Construction, Transportation, Agriculture and Forestry, Fishing and (perhaps surprisingly) Professional Services. Construction recorded the highest number of deaths, and was the only one to see an increase in both fatal occupational injuries counts and rates. (The other three industries decreased in total deaths and fatal injury rates from 2014 to 2015.)

These figures might be expected to differ across countries due to reasons such as the national mix of industries and employment (e.g. full time vs contracted vs casual), as well how the data are collected and analyzed. Moreover, as occupational safety experts have commented, inaccurate and incomplete occupational injury data is unfortunately a general feature of workplace injury reporting, regardless of where it is collected. Nevertheless, a similar pattern appears across a number of developed countries.

In many countries, public sector workers fare better in accident/fatality statistics than workers in private industry. For example, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics for 2015 reports that public sector workers accounted for just 9% of occupational fatalities and had a lower fatal injury rate (1.9 per 100,000 FTEs) than their private sector counterparts (3.6).

So we can conclude that the most telling dissimilarity between firefighting and construction is that firefighting is a public service, whereas construction is a commercial enterprise. As a result, they operate with different priorities. Top of the firefighter’s list is saving lives and property, while the chief objectives of construction are to complete projects within time and cost targets.

Many private industries – not just construction – rely on regulatory authorities, such as the US Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), to tell them what to do. Protecting worker health and safety is treated mainly an exercise in compliance with regulatory standards. Globally the same pattern appears, with the burden of upholding occupational health and safety falling disproportionately on regulatory authorities, rather than employers and workers.

How technology impacts health and safety

While occupational safety laws first emerged in the nineteenth century, comprehensive health, safety and workplace environment management is largely a late twentieth century development. Technological change goes hand in hand with transformations in occupational health and safety. Technology brings new risks, but can at the same time drives improvements in equipment, knowledge, and communication for HSE. These examples can illustrate how the same technology development can create both new risks and new opportunities for HSE.

Mobile radio communications

The development of mobile radio communications meant that workers could better coordinate their work, respond to emergencies sooner, and pass on situational information without talking face-to-face. One very significant benefit was that police and fire operations became faster, more effective and safer as a result.

But in the presence of inflammable gases, a spark generated from a radio can trigger an explosion. Intrinsically safe radios were a response to this introduced hazard, but the protection they offer is limited to where the hazard has been identified.

Computers

Much of modern HSE management depends on the use of computers to store and process data, share complex information, and to communicate. Big data, which integrates huge chunks of data from multiple sources at high speed, uses complex algorithms to deliver assessments, conclusions or recommendations, and can even trigger actions.

This is the likely future of how large companies would like to manage their workforce, how they make hiring and firing decisions, tweak work schedules, set worker performance targets and so on. But reliance on complex algorithms to replace human decision making can create new risks when bad or dangerous decisions (for example, overloading a worker’s shift schedules) emerge from the computer.

Manufacturing automation and robotics

Automation has removed human workers from many repetitive and dangerous manufacturing operations. But human workers still remain on the factory floor, either to perform tasks currently not automated, or to service the automated machinery. While modern workers may be removed from some of the more obvious workplace hazards of days gone by, working beside complex, high-speed manufacturing chains introduces a new set of hazards for machinery operators and maintenance personnel.

Driverless vehicles

Trials are well advanced with driverless vehicles, not only for the trucking industry but also for mining. While this may eventually reduce highway fatalities (at least by removing the truckers altogether), not all trucking jobs will vanish. Many truckers, particularly on construction sites, do more than just drive. Even if construction site vehicles were to be fully automated, they would then constitute a new risk for other workers at the site. Similarly, at mines, driverless vehicles may cut vehicle accidents around the pit, but they also pose a new hazard for the remaining human workforce, during mining operations or maintenance.

As yet, it remains unclear what system would be used to manage a pool of driverless vehicles and what failure scenarios could arise.

If there is a general moral to be drawn from these examples, it is this: technological change may mean that zero harm is ultimately unachievable since the goal post is ever shifting. But at the same time, the benefits of these technologies to worker health and safety also enable us to get closer to the zero harm goal. Even now, with decades of experience behind us, and heroic attempts by various governments, regulators, unions and employers, there remain many questions to be answered, and there is still a long way to go before the goal of zero harm in the workplace is achievable.

At Tait, we strive to provide free educational content that gives you all the information you need to make the best decisions for your organization. Connection magazine is an online publication about the current trends in critical communications with insights from a range of industry experts. Our latest issue is available now, full of interesting, informative articles about the latest in critical communications. Read Connection online now, or get the app for iOS or android.

Alarming, challenging, risky, vulnerable, painful: these words jumped out as I checked the final proof sheets of Connection 8. Are we focusing too much on the negative?

That is certainly not the intention. Rather, we hope our experts’ insights into communications-related issues are thought-provoking, interesting, realistic, and above all, honest. Advancing technology means LMR is entering a brave new world, as communications become ever more complex, and decision makers need all the information available to them, to cut through the bewildering array of options.

With that in mind, we have two articles from our regular contributor Dr Jan Noordhof. In our lead article, he investigates workplace safety; why some industries – and indeed some countries – are better than others at protecting their workers. Technology, it seems, is not the magic bullet. In a second piece, he looks at cyber-security, and how easily a determined (or opportunistic) hacker can access the control centers of fundamental infrastructures.

Sign up for free and join the international community who stay ahead of the curve on professional mobile radio. Be the first to know when new issues are released and read up on previous Connection articles. Subscribe here.

]]>https://blog.taitradio.com/2017/04/13/connection-magazine-8-has-launched/feed/0New from Tait: Build Your Own Radio!https://blog.taitradio.com/2017/04/05/new-from-tait-build-your-own-radio/
https://blog.taitradio.com/2017/04/05/new-from-tait-build-your-own-radio/#respondTue, 04 Apr 2017 13:00:42 +0000http://blog.taitradio.com/?p=7887We are excited to announce the launch of our new Build Your Own Radio tool! This short, interactive experience lets you quickly and easily build the radio that’s right for you.

Having choices is great, but having too many choices can be daunting. By answering a few simple questions, our new Build Your Own Radio tool can help you narrow down features to create the ideal radio for your needs.

By choosing from a series of simple options, our Build Your Own Radio tool can put together a product that’s right for you, while also providing easy access to obtain further information about your radio. Once you’ve entered your details, the built-in form automatically populates with the results of your Build Your Own Radio journey, ensuring that we only provide you with the information that’s relevant to you. This also saves you time, eliminating the need to repeatedly enter the products that you’re interested in. We’ll even email you a copy of your results for future reference and simple sharing.

]]>https://blog.taitradio.com/2017/04/05/new-from-tait-build-your-own-radio/feed/0EnableInsight: Get to know your networkhttps://blog.taitradio.com/2017/03/28/enableinsight-get-to-know-your-network/
https://blog.taitradio.com/2017/03/28/enableinsight-get-to-know-your-network/#respondTue, 28 Mar 2017 01:28:54 +0000http://blog.taitradio.com/?p=7884We’re happy to offer an early look at the newest member of the Tait Enable suite of network management tools, EnableInsight.

Visualize the performance of your network in real time and utilize data for optimal outcomes.

Key Features

Real time automated data processing & visualization

Integration of multiple data sources

Monitoring systemic performance & business impact

Assessment of future non-compliance

Advanced visualizations

Automated alarms and alerts

Tait EnableInsight monitors your radio network in real time, delivering immediate visibility and a range of reporting options. Stay aware of issues on your network at all times, so you can remedy them without delay.

Reduced Detection-to-Resolution time

Traditional methods of performance management involve many manual and time consuming steps which result in significant time investment, therefore often defeating the original intention, to provide real-time information for decision support. Automated data processing and instant assessment & notification facilitate a reduced timeframe from problem detection to resolution. You can rest easy, because you’ll be the first to know.

Enhanced Control & Management

Manage your solution’s performance and compliance to SLA’s. In addition to simply discovering failed or compromised components, EnableInsight allows you to pinpoint the Business Impact of processes that have failed or are in likely breach of compliance to mandated SLA’s. Enhanced control & management results in improved availability & and performance of the solution.

Proactive Response & Confidence in SLA achievement

In addition to monitoring current activity, EnableInsight utilizes ‘trending’ to analyse (pre-empt) the cumulative impact of degraded system or business performance across your mandated reporting period. Improved visibility allows you to rectify problems before they become business critical issues, an effective insurance policy against compromised performance in time-limited, SLA-based environments. Greater confidence in the performance of the solution results in greater satisfaction of end-users and customers.

Improved Capacity planning

Better knowledge of the capabilities and subtleties of the solution allows IT staff to be more pro-active with performance management and tuning. Simplifying and automating the monitoring and diagnosis process allows IT staff to be more productive whilst spending less time in damage-control mode.

Reduced Training needs

Most traditional monitoring solutions rely on expert users to operate and analyse data. EnableInsight is an intuitive solution designed to provide reduced reliance on skilled, multi-disciplined operators.

Features

Real-time view

Monitoring and analysis of your network performance and utilization

Combination of multiple data streams

Modern look and powerful visualizations

Alert and notification capability

Valuable pre-set dashboard views

Optional customization

Reporting and analysis of historical data

Flexible server and cloud based hosting options

Role based management

Audit log

Redundancy and automatic back up options

Support for peace of mind

Secure access anywhere anytime

You can download our EnableInsight flyer here, and learn about the rest of the Tait Enable suite here.

]]>https://blog.taitradio.com/2017/03/28/enableinsight-get-to-know-your-network/feed/0Tait Radio Academy – How to Connecthttps://blog.taitradio.com/2017/03/21/tait-radio-academy-how-to-connect/
https://blog.taitradio.com/2017/03/21/tait-radio-academy-how-to-connect/#respondMon, 20 Mar 2017 14:04:19 +0000http://blog.taitradio.com/?p=7868In this week’s lesson from the Tait Radio Academy, we take a closer look at How to Connect. This process will look different depending on if you’re speaking on a conventional network or a trunked network.

Connect on a Conventional Network

For a conventional network, simply select the channel being used by the person or people you need to connect with. First, you will need to establish contact by identifying by name the recipient and yourself. Once they acknowledge transmission, then you can carry on your conversation until it is complete.

Let’s do an example. My call sign will be Portable 5 and I will communicate with Base 23:

First, I would say “Base 23, this is portable 5 on channel 2. Over.”

Then Base 23 acknowledges as follows: “Portable 5, this is Base 23. Over.”

Then I might say something like, “Base 23, I have returned from Job 734, are there any messages? Over.”

Connect on a Trunked Network

Trunked networks, however, work a bit differently because you may have the option to make individual calls or group calls.

An Individual Call is a one-to-one call between one user and another user. As there are only two people involved in this call, it is a private call.

An individual call is made by dialing the individual’s number from the keypad of the radio or choosing their ID from a menu. A radio can be configured to ring like a cell phone. To answer, the user pushes the PTT switch. Call timers are generally lower for individual calls than for group calls to keep conversations to a minimum and reserve system time. Once a call finishes, the units involved in the call return to their local control channel.

Talk Group Calls consist of people with a common interest. They can be fixed by the network operator, or they can come together for a certain situation. This call is the most often used voice call for trunked networks.

When a talk group is called by an individual, the system assigns a channel for that call to go ahead. The group can be permanent, which means that it’s programmed into each individual radio . Group calls are typically used for emergency or for calls that are significant to a team.

A group call could either be a conference call, where everybody in the call can respond and communicate, or a broadcast call, where only the person who started the transmission can talk and everyone else must listen.

This lesson and many more like it can be found on the Tait Radio Academy, an online school providing free, informative content to radio users around the world.

]]>https://blog.taitradio.com/2017/03/21/tait-radio-academy-how-to-connect/feed/0Regular Radio Checks – Tait Radio Academyhttps://blog.taitradio.com/2017/03/13/regular-radio-checks-tait-radio-academy/
https://blog.taitradio.com/2017/03/13/regular-radio-checks-tait-radio-academy/#respondMon, 13 Mar 2017 08:00:37 +0000http://blog.taitradio.com/?p=7859In this week’s lesson from the Tait Radio Academy, we take a closer look at Regular Radio Checks. Learn how and when to perform radio checks to ensure you stay connected.

Having a working radio is essential for mission and business critical users. You don’t want to be caught in the field with a device that won’t work because you weren’t careful in the office. Here are a few things to do on a regular basis to ensure you stay connected.

1) Grab the Correct Radio:
First, you need to check that you have grabbed the correct radio for the job you’re doing. For instance, some locations require an intrinsically safe radio, so if you’re going to one of these locations, make sure your radio is, indeed, intrinsically safe. Some organizations also have different radio talk groups and distinguish them by color or labels. Make sure you grab the correct radio for your talk group so that you can connect with the right people.

2) Check the battery, power, and volume:
It’s also important to ensure the battery is charged and the power is on. You don’t want to be caught in a serious situation with a powerless radio, and you don’t want to miss important transmissions from others because you forgot to turn the radio on. This is why it is also important to keep the volume high enough to be able to hear calls. Many radio users can move from quiet to very loud environments, so take time to check volume levels throughout the day.

3) Request a radio check:
Lastly, you can regularly request a radio check to make sure everything is working and that you are still in range to receive transmissions. Keep in mind that with analog networks, as the Receiving radio moves away from the transmitting base station, the signal strength decreases gradually, causing the relative noise level to increase. As you move further away, the signal becomes increasingly difficult to understand until it can no longer be heard as anything other than static.

Digital networks, on the other hand, provide clear audio until the edge of coverage. This means that one transmission could sound great, and the next one will be completely inaudible. So whether or not you’re on an analog or digital network, it’s important to regularly request a radio check to ensure those who you’re communicating with can hear and understand you clearly.

This lesson and many more like it can be found on the Tait Radio Academy, an online school providing free, informative content to radio users around the world.

“The radio system has helped improve our response times, which helps us better meet the needs of our community and our citizens that live here.”
Jonathan Haber, Chief of Police, City of Balch Springs

The City of Balch Springs is just outside of Dallas, Texas and they service a 9-square mile area. The Fire Departmenthas 32 staff members and respond to fire calls, MVAs, motor vehicle accidents, and other similar calls. The Police Department has 39 sworn officers and a total of 60 employees and are committed to providing a safe and secure community.

Communications had become a major problem. Using a conventional VHF system from the 1970s meant Balch Springs was not able to communicate amongst themselves. This was causing frustration and safety issues for both Fire and Police. Fire teams had trouble connecting from the fire ground to dispatch. There were real difficult problems communicating with fire personnel who were working interior fires, causing serious safety concerns. Likewise, police couldn’t connect with dispatch either. At one point, the police chief was in a physical confrontation and hit the emergency button to call for back-up. No one heard the call for back-up, so again, safety was becoming a big issue.

As Police Chief Jonathan Haber said, “the big word is safety, safety, safety.” Determined to improve their situation, Balch Springs reached out to Stolz Telecom for assistance. After running feasibility studies and exploring their options, they chose to transition to a P25 Conventional system, with flexibility and interoperability as a priority. The network is powered by Tait base stations, and 35 of their vehicles contain Tait mobile radios. Because of the way Tait embraces open standards and interoperability, they’ve been able to integrate products from other vendors as well, such as Kenwood, Motorola, and EF Johnson. Balch Springs also elected to keep their legacy analog system in tact so they could communicate with other agencies, like the Dallas County Sheriff’s office.

The migration to P25, led by Stolz Telecom, was efficient and effective for Balch Springs. Sergeant Jonathan Babina had this to say, “Three or four days after we transitioned and went live with the P25 system, an officer had used his panic button and it immediately went out that he was involved in a physical altercation with a suspect. He received help within two to three minutes.” The Fire department noticed an immediate difference as well. Being able to communicate in places where they couldn’t before has alleviated many frustrations and safety concerns. Fire officers can communicate with dispatch now and get help when they need it. Chief Haber summed up the results by saying, “I know it works really well. It’s amazing the difference in the way we can communicate now… The radio system has helped improve our response times, which helps us better meet the needs of our community and our citizens that live here.”

Contact a Tait reseller in your area to learn more about our P25 solutions and find out how we can help your organization.

]]>https://blog.taitradio.com/2017/03/08/client-story-tait-improves-safety-for-balch-springs-police-fire/feed/0Radio Operating Techniques – Tait Radio Academyhttps://blog.taitradio.com/2017/03/04/radio-operating-techniques-tait-radio-academy/
https://blog.taitradio.com/2017/03/04/radio-operating-techniques-tait-radio-academy/#respondFri, 03 Mar 2017 14:30:05 +0000http://blog.taitradio.com/?p=7848In this week’s lesson from the Tait Radio Academy, we take a closer look at Radio Operating Techniques. You’ve got your radio and want to make a call – what do you do? This lesson answers exactly that, with simple language and straight forward instructions. A perfect lesson for first time radio operators or experienced users who need a refresher.

The aim of all radio operators should be to get the message through with complete accuracy and minimum delay, so the least possible time is spent occupying the frequency. Occupying frequency may prevent other users from communicating when they need it most.

Here are a few general operating guidelines:

First, listen before you call. Someone else may be using the channel. If more than one radio is transmitting at the same time, a garbled transmission will result.

Second, don’t interrupt. If you hear other people talking, wait until their conversation is finished before you begin, unless it is an emergency.

Third, think before you speak. Know what you are going to say before you press the PTT (Press-to-talk) button. Long moments of quiet thinking are…umm….frustrating for others and occupy frequency unnecessarily.

Fourth, speak clearly: Use your normal voice and do not speak too fast. Divide your message into natural phrases instead of individual words so that it flows smoothly.

Fifth, never transmit sensitive, confidential, financial or military information…Unless you are certain your conversations are secured with the proper level of encryption for the level of sensitivity. Otherwise, assume your conversations can be heard by others.

Sixth, spell difficult, ambiguous or unfamiliar words using the phonetic alphabet. For more on this, refer to Lesson 5 in this series.

Seventh, keep your conversations short. There is no need to ramble, and conversations should be kept as brief as possible, so as to allow others the time to use the frequency.

Eighth, reply promptly when someone calls you. When a transmitting radio has said “over”, reply immediately. If a transmitting radio fails to receive an immediate reply, there will be doubts as to whether; The message has actually been received, the radio is working, or if the operator is still at the radio.

Lastly, as a recap, here are the four Golden rules of radio operation.

Simplicity– simplified language will make it easier for everyone to understand you

Brevity – Keep your statements short and concise.

Security – Always assume that someone is listening to your conversation. If your system uses encryption, you still need to be cautious because there is a human element that could cause a security breach.

This lesson and many more like it can be found on the Tait Radio Academy, an online school providing free, informative content to radio users around the world.

]]>https://blog.taitradio.com/2017/03/04/radio-operating-techniques-tait-radio-academy/feed/0Top 5 Benefits of Distribution Automation and GridLinkhttps://blog.taitradio.com/2017/02/22/top-5-benefits-of-distribution-automation-and-gridlink/
https://blog.taitradio.com/2017/02/22/top-5-benefits-of-distribution-automation-and-gridlink/#respondTue, 21 Feb 2017 14:35:30 +0000http://blog.taitradio.com/?p=7839Continuing with our series of videos exploring the top benefits of the Tait DMR family of products, today we take a look at Tait GridLink.

Top 5 Benefits of Distribution Automation and GridLink

The Tait GridLink Solution enables SCADA transmission and Distribution Automation over your DMR Tier 3 network. In this video, we’ll discuss three benefits of Distribution Automation, as well as two unique benefits that Tait GridLink brings to the table.

1. Save Costs through Efficiency Gains

So the first benefit of Distribution Automation is you can save costs through efficiency gains. Consider this: a typical electric distribution utility might have 2,000 capacity banks across its operation to compensate for voltage loss associated with warm weather and/or planned state changes. Four times a year, each bank must be manually switched over, by employees in trucks.

On average, a truck deployment costs a utility $500. So, if we do a little bit of math:

2,000 capacity banksx four visits annuallyx $500 per month= US$4million in OPEX each year

Distribution Automation offers a better way. By using the data capacity that exists in something like the Tait DMR Tier 3 voice network, these manual switch-overs can be managed remotely from your control center. That means you can use that $4 million to reinvest in the business as you choose.

And that’s just one example. There are many other ways you can increase efficiency through Distribution Automation.

2. Improved Grid Reliability

Another benefit is improved grid reliability. Distribution Automation provides visibility and control of your entire grid. This means the Control Center will be the first to know about an outage. Power can be re-routed, restoring power to the majority of customers almost immediately. Help can be dispatched to the correct location with the right information and tools to restore power quickly.And of course, during storm situations when trees are laying across the power lines, the ability to detect, isolate, and restore energy around the fault not only saves time and money, it saves lives and reduces outage durations.

3. Optimize your network and save energy

And the third benefit: you can optimize your network and save energy. Distribution Automation allows you to proactively resolve issues in your network before they escalate into serious problems. Moving from reactive maintenance to proactive maintenance will save you time and keep your network optimized.

Clear visibility of your grid also means you can quickly identify areas where energy is being wasted. You can fix many of these issues remotely, reconfiguring switches to load balance, optimizing Volt/VAR, or more discretely managing feeders, assets and resources. With better grid management, it’s easier to ensure that your budgeted asset life cycles are realized and avoid premature equipment failure or replacement.

So those are three great benefits of Distribution Automation, but now let’s talk about what makes the Tait GridLink solution unique.

4. Wide Area, Mission Critical Network

First, it provides a wide area, mission critical network. So traditionally, providing the required data communications that enable Distribution Automation (DA) has been difficult in areas of low density. Fiber optics are not economically feasible over wide areas and cellular coverage is too inconsistent and unreliable to be considered mission critical.

The Tait DMR Tier 3 network, however solves both these problems. It covers a wide area and is built with mission critical resilience, ensuring that your organization can maintain visibility and control of your grid when you need it most. All that’s required is to connect the Tait TD9300 to your RTU so it can relay commands and information between control and pole top devices.

5. One network for voice and SCADA

And the other benefit of Tait GridLink is that you only need one network for both voice and SCADA. We utilize the exact same network that provides our customers with voice coverage. Health and safety requires a critical voice system, but you can get more out of your voice system by choosing a Tait DMR Tier 3 Voice and Data network. That means you’ll only need to install, manage, and pay for one network instead of two.

You can also space out your migration. For instance, you could start by upgrading your infrastructure, then follow by upgrading your voice terminals. Once your DMR Tier 3 network is active, you can then start installing Tait GridLink TD9300 terminals at a pace that suits your needs.

So this concludes the benefits of the Tait GridLink Distribution Automation solution. For more on GridLink, you can visit taitradio.com/gridlink or view the TD9300 specification sheet. And for more on DMR Tier 3 from Tait, you can watch the other videos in this series.

Download our free white paper, Modernizing Your Grid, to see how utilities can get what they want by doing what they must.

And be sure to watch the rest of the Top 5 Series:

]]>https://blog.taitradio.com/2017/02/22/top-5-benefits-of-distribution-automation-and-gridlink/feed/0New Tait Radio Academy Course – Best Practice for Radio Usershttps://blog.taitradio.com/2017/02/16/new-tait-radio-academy-course-best-practice-for-radio-users/
https://blog.taitradio.com/2017/02/16/new-tait-radio-academy-course-best-practice-for-radio-users/#respondWed, 15 Feb 2017 21:30:03 +0000http://blog.taitradio.com/?p=7835We’re happy to announce the addition of a new course to the Tait Radio Academy. In this series of lessons we take a look at Best Practice for Radio Users. Even the most advanced communication technology is rendered useless by not knowing how to use it properly. This course focuses on end-user training for connecting and communicating clearly, safely, and efficiently on your radio. It’s a great course for users in all industries.

It is essential that mission-critical radio users have good training. Using your radio properly brings the following benefits:

Increased safety through quick and clear communication

More efficient operations

More available time for others to communicate

Less frustration for users in general

Despite this, many users get little-to-no training on the proper etiquette and principles of using a radio properly. No one wants unhappy users, so we’ve put together this short course to go through the best practices for radio usage. In this course, you will learn the following:

How to use the radio

Tips and tricks for efficient, clear communication

How to be considerate of others on your network

How to ensure your radio stays working

Course syllabus

Lesson 1: Get Connected

We’ll explore when to press the Push-To-Talk (PTT) button, when to speak, and how to perform regular radio checks to ensure you always stay connected.

Lesson 2: Clear, Efficient Communications

Once you’ve connected to the person or people you need to communicate with, it’s important to keep communications clear and efficient. Here’s how.

Lesson 3: Final Assessment

Once you have completed all the lessons, you can take this final assessment to earn a Tait Radio Academy completion certificate in Best Practice for Radio Users.

This lesson and many more like it can be found on the Tait Radio Academy, an online school providing free, informative content to radio users around the world.

]]>https://blog.taitradio.com/2017/02/16/new-tait-radio-academy-course-best-practice-for-radio-users/feed/0Keeping Mining Workers Safe: A Comparative Infographichttps://blog.taitradio.com/2017/02/12/how-tait-improves-worker-safety-in-pictures/
https://blog.taitradio.com/2017/02/12/how-tait-improves-worker-safety-in-pictures/#respondSat, 11 Feb 2017 22:53:16 +0000http://blog.taitradio.com/?p=7829Clear, reliable voice communications are crucial for those in industries that rely on mission-critical communications. During times of normal operation, voice-only radio networks, such as analog, are often all that some organizations need. But in efforts to improve worker safety, it’s worth taking a look at how systems that provide both voice and data on one mission-critical network, such as Tait DMR Tier 3, can make a significant difference in emergency situations.

]]>https://blog.taitradio.com/2017/02/12/how-tait-improves-worker-safety-in-pictures/feed/0Top 5 Benefits of the Tait TP9300https://blog.taitradio.com/2017/02/09/top-5-benefits-of-the-tait-tp9300/
https://blog.taitradio.com/2017/02/09/top-5-benefits-of-the-tait-tp9300/#respondWed, 08 Feb 2017 14:30:19 +0000http://blog.taitradio.com/?p=7825To provide a simple introduction to the Tait DMR family of products, we’ve produced a series of five videos each exploring the top benefits of various aspects of the solution. Today, we take a look at the Top 5 Benefits of the Tait TP9300 portable radio:

Top 5 Benefits of the Tait TP9300

The Tait TP9300 is a world-class DMR portable radio. It’s ideal for Utilities, Transport, Mining, Oil & Gas, and other organizations who depend on communications to do their job. In this video, we’ll explore the top five benefits of the TP9300:

1. Quad-Mode for a simple migration

Each TP9300 is capable of four different modes: Analog Conventional, MPT-1327, DMR Tier 2, and DMR Tier 3. Roaming is available between Analog Conventional and DMR Tier 2, as well as between MPT-1327 and DMR Tier 3.

This quad-mode functionality makes the migration process easier than ever before. If you have an analog network today, you can start migrating by installing TP9300s operating in analog mode. Once your DMR network is built, each TP9300 can easily switch to DMR.

2. Tait Tough

The TP9300 is built for rugged conditions. Your people need a radio that won’t fail them, no matter what the environment. Every Tait Portable is proven to meet Military Standards 810C, D, E, F, and G. It is IP67 water proof and can survive countless drops onto concrete. Tough jobs demand tough radios, and the TP9300 is ready for the challenge. You can see for yourself how tough this radio really is at www.taittough.com.

3. Improved Worker Safety

Worker safety is the number one priority for our customers, and so the TP9300 was designed with worker safety in mind. Obviously, clear voice communications are essential to worker safety, and the TP9300 definitely enables that.

It also includes several other features to increase worker safety. First, there are 4 programmable function keys, including an emergency key, making it easier for your people to call for help. Second is Man Down, which takes advantage of the accelerometer in the TP9300. Should someone fall, the control center will receive notification. Likewise, Lone Worker can be enabled for users in remote locations. If they do not check-in within the predetermined timeframe, control center will receive notification. And of course, the TP9300 also has GPS, which means if someone does needs help, you will know exactly where to send it.

Ultimately, the TP9300 enables you to save lives by dramatically improving response time if, for any reason, your people get hurt or require assistance.

4. Customization and Variety

The TP9300 comes in a variety of colors and models. First, there are five different color options: Black, high-vis green, orange, red, and yellow. Many of our customers prefer the sleek look of black, while others prefer the bright colors that make radios easier to find in the field.

There are also 3 different model options. The TP9300 is available in 16 keys, 4 keys, or with no key/no display. This flexibility provides customers with a TP9300 that meets their needs and budget.

Lastly, the TP9361 is available as an Intrinsically Safe radio. This portable has all the features of a standard TP9300, but is also designed and tested to meet global IS standards, ensuring safe operation in hazardous environments. As you can see, it’s available in blue, an internationally recognized color for IS products.

5. Noise Cancellation for clear audio

The TP9300 is equipped with an enhanced vocoder that ensures your message will be communicated clearly, even in a noisy environment. Regardless of wind, equipment, or large groups, you can have confidence that you will be heard. Backed by the resilient and reliable Tait DMR network, you can rest assured that when you push the talk button, you’ll be able to communicate.And those are the top 5 benefits, but of course, there are many more reasons to love the TP9300. For more information, check out the TP9300 specification sheet. You can also learn more about other pieces of the complete Tait DMR solution by watching the other videos in this series.

Watch the rest of the Top 5 Series

]]>https://blog.taitradio.com/2017/02/09/top-5-benefits-of-the-tait-tp9300/feed/0Event Recap: Tait attends ITNAC 2016https://blog.taitradio.com/2017/01/30/event-recap-tait-attends-itnac-2016/
https://blog.taitradio.com/2017/01/30/event-recap-tait-attends-itnac-2016/#respondSun, 29 Jan 2017 22:45:21 +0000https://blog.taitradio.com/?p=7792Otago University played host to the 2016 International Telecommunication Networks and Applications Conference (ITNAC), where leaders in academia and industry discussed the future of communications technology. As a proud patron of the event, Tait sent a handful of representatives to learn from and contribute to the discussion. Our Head of Research and Technology, Dr Clive Horn, delivered a well received presentation on the Future Evolution of Critical Communications.

The conference was well attended by guests both local and international, who appreciated the high standard of discussion, set in the historic Otago University. Presentations we focused on communication methods and technologies, particularly optimization of transmission and systems. The range of topics included network optimization, deployment and performance analysis, wireless communication and spectrum management, software defined networks, as well as smart grids related communication aspects.

Dr Clive Horn presented an engaging industry talk on behalf of Tait, exploring where communications are going, touching on the emerging IoT (Internet Of Things). Several post-graduate students expressed interest in working at Tait, which is very encouraging for the future of the industry.

Dr Clive Horn delivers his presentation.

Dr Horn found a number of other talks particularly interesting, including Professor Winston Seah’s keynote speech Making Sense out of IoT Nonsense. Professor Seah discussed how the internet has transformed from its original form that connects computers utilized by humans to one that connects objects, sensors, and any foreseeable device in everyday life, giving rise to the “Internet of Things”.

Another Tait attendee, Niall McAndrew, shared Dr Horn’s interest in the IoT discussion. He noted the IoT content was mainly focused around short range in home devices, optimizing their power consumption, as well as novel methods of generating power. One particular example of this was a sensor attached to a building used for monitoring how the building withstood an earthquake. The device was able to generate its power from the shaking of the earthquake, and use that to sample and transmit an acceleration value for that particular part of the building.

McAndrew found a talk by Lahiru Ariyasinghe from the University of Otago particularly interesting. He presented a paper, VPAP: VBR Pattern Aware Playback Buffering for Video Streaming, which essentially tries to smooth out the bandwidth consumption of downloading a video file, given that they have a variable bandwidth.

Tait attendee Les Humphris had the opportunity to demonstrate some Tait technology to the conference goers, and graciously lent his smile to our promotional material for the event.

Our attendees were happy to contribute to the conference, and appreciated the quality of the informative presentations.

If you’re interested in a career in the Critical Communications industry, check out our Career Opportunities page for information on vacancies and tertiary study opportunities.

]]>https://blog.taitradio.com/2017/01/30/event-recap-tait-attends-itnac-2016/feed/0Tait DMR Tier 3 Network Keeps Australian Workforces Connectedhttps://blog.taitradio.com/2017/01/25/tait-dmr-tier-3-network-keeps-australian-workforces-connected/
https://blog.taitradio.com/2017/01/25/tait-dmr-tier-3-network-keeps-australian-workforces-connected/#respondTue, 24 Jan 2017 22:07:10 +0000https://blog.taitradio.com/?p=7783A solution designed and supplied by Tait Communications is helping one of Australia’s major utilities companies keep its workforce connected and safe. Power and Water, a state government-owned business which supplies Australia’s Northern Territory with high-voltage electricity, water, and sewage networks, has selected Tait to upgrade its mobile workforce communications system.]]>A solution designed and supplied by Tait Communications is helping one of Australia’s major utilities companies keep its workforce connected and safe. Power and Water, a state government-owned business which supplies Australia’s Northern Territory with high-voltage electricity, water, and sewage networks, has selected Tait to upgrade its mobile workforce communications system.

Power and Water services a vast area of over half a million square miles (1.3 million square kilometers), a desert land area bigger than Peru and South Africa. With hundreds of employees working over such a large expanse of challenging terrain, including main population centers, along interconnecting transport routes, and out in isolated communities, Power and Water needed a reliable communications system that ensured workers were able to stay connected, efficient, and safe.

Previously running a system of four old analog mobile radio networks, some of which were nearing end of life, Power and Water considered offerings from a handful of mobile radio manufacturers before deciding to upgrade to digital with the Tait DMR Tier 3 solution. As well as ensuring reliable communications for Power and Water’s employees, the Tait solution also offers the ability to easily integrate safety-enhancing features such as advanced location and other data services in the future, which was an important factor in the evaluation process.

The corporation’s extensive evaluation concluded that the Tait solution provided the best whole-of-life value for money and lowest risk, as well as being a known, trusted brand with a staff that demonstrated a strong understanding of their needs throughout the selection process.

]]>https://blog.taitradio.com/2017/01/25/tait-dmr-tier-3-network-keeps-australian-workforces-connected/feed/0Reader Feedback – What would you like to see more of?https://blog.taitradio.com/2017/01/20/reader-feedback-what-would-you-like-to-see-more-of/
https://blog.taitradio.com/2017/01/20/reader-feedback-what-would-you-like-to-see-more-of/#respondThu, 19 Jan 2017 14:08:44 +0000https://blog.taitradio.com/?p=7760We take great pride in sharing useful and interesting content with you through our blog, and we appreciate your readership. We keep a close eye on which posts generate interest, and by reaching out to you for feedback we can better deliver what you want to see. As we begin the exciting new year of 2017, we’d like to hear what you have to say.

We aspire to cover a variety of subjects of interest to the critical communications industry:

Client Spotlights – We often get the opportunity to meet with organisations that use Tait products in the workplace. We learn about the specific problems they face and how Tait is incorporated into their communications solution. These stories offer a fascinating insight into the lives of men & women in public safety and utilities.

Education – The Tait Radio Academy is a free resource of educational videos on critical communications subjects. We frequently highlight individual lessons, drawing attention to topics you may find interesting or useful. These lessons are delivered in a simple, straight forward manner by experts in their respective fields.

Products – The landscape of communications technology is constantly evolving, with new products and services arriving all the time. We share details about new Tait products and updates to existing solutions to keep you informed of the features and benefits of a modern radio network.

Events – Representatives from Tait often attend industry trade shows and conventions to share knowledge and learn from our peers. We typically share the details of our attendance leading up to an event, encourage interested parties to come along, and report on the success of the event afterward.

We’d like to hear what kinds of content you find valuable and want to see more of. Please take a moment to answer the below question, tick as many answers as you like, and write in a suggestion if you have one.

If the above question box does not load properly in your browser, click here to open it in a new window.

We appreciate your time and assistance, and hope we can provide more relevant content to you in the coming year.

]]>https://blog.taitradio.com/2017/01/20/reader-feedback-what-would-you-like-to-see-more-of/feed/0What is the difference between P25 Phase 1 and Phase 2? – Tait Radio Academyhttps://blog.taitradio.com/2017/01/17/what-is-the-difference-between-p25-phase-1-and-phase-2-tait-radio-academy/
https://blog.taitradio.com/2017/01/17/what-is-the-difference-between-p25-phase-1-and-phase-2-tait-radio-academy/#respondMon, 16 Jan 2017 23:18:18 +0000https://blog.taitradio.com/?p=7705Our series of Tait Radio Academy lessons on P25 continues, this time looking at the difference between P25 Phase 1 and Phase2. This course is taught by Andrew McTaggart, a Customer Support Engineering Specialist at Tait Communications. Prior to that, he was a product trainer on P25 digital radio communications equipment.

A question commonly asked is, “What is the difference between P25 Phase 1 and Phase 2?”

One of the original goals of P25 was spectrum efficiency. The radio spectrum is a limited resource. There are only so many radio channels that can be licensed in a given area.

Analog FM channels used to be 25 kilohertz wide. As the spectrum became more congested, narrowband channels were introduced. With the old 25kHz channels halved to 12.5kHz, the number of available channels effectively doubled if all users migrated away from wide band. P25 Phase 1 was designed to use the same bandwidth as a narrow band FM channel, meaning they could be used side by side, and narrow band FM channels could gradually be replaced by P25 digital channels.

Phase 2 is more spectrally efficient than Phase 1, providing two effective channels per 12.5 kilohertz bandwidth. In P25 Phase 2, each physical base station provides two effective voice channels. It does this by using TDMA, or Time Division Multiple Access, where two independent conversations share the same channel.

Another benefit of P25 Phase 2 is longer battery life. Because of the TDMA, the transmitter is only working half the time during a transmission, therefore increasing the battery life of the portable.

Phase 2 is backwards compatible with Phase 1 radios, allowing a new Phase 2 radio to operate with users of Phase 1 P25 equipment, and to operate on Phase 1 network equipment.

It’s important to realize that Phase 2 is currently only available for trunked P25 operation. For radio to radio and conventional P25 operation, Phase 1 is still used.

This lesson and many more like it can be found on the Tait Radio Academy, an online school providing free, informative content to radio users around the world.

]]>https://blog.taitradio.com/2017/01/17/what-is-the-difference-between-p25-phase-1-and-phase-2-tait-radio-academy/feed/0Tait Gets Hands-On With Urban Search and Rescuehttps://blog.taitradio.com/2017/01/13/tait-gets-hands-on-with-urban-search-and-rescue/
https://blog.taitradio.com/2017/01/13/tait-gets-hands-on-with-urban-search-and-rescue/#respondThu, 12 Jan 2017 15:55:42 +0000https://blog.taitradio.com/?p=7743 A group of Tait engineers had a chance to get hands-on with our equipment in real-life scenarios when one of their members who is a New Zealand Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) volunteer brought their equipment into the Christchurch headquarters. The emergency response specialist taught them skills such as knots, rope work and techniques for lashing rescued people into stretchers to safely evacuate them from dangerous situations.

With their new training in hand, the engineers then geared up for a practice “mission” in which they had to locate victims, diagnose and triage any injuries and work as a team to rescue and evacuate the patients, all in the middle of a simulated earthquake.

Tait’s own Jeff James, Lead Design Engineer and USAR volunteer, arranged the session for his Tait DMR Software Team as a way to help the engineers
better understand Tait customers and their needs. The hands-on experience showed them what it is actually like for these response crews when using mobile radio in the difficult situations they’re faced with.

“As well as thinking about the kinds of situations our customers face, it lets the team get a chance to use our radios in a reasonably realistic scenario, where it’s noisy and difficult to see and you have actual goals to achieve on top of just speaking on the radio or hearing someone else speak,” Jeff commented. “It’s also given us a chance to learn and review proper radio protocols and to understand why we follow them. It was a worthwhile session.”

New Zealand Urban Search and Rescue specializes in locating and rescuing people who become trapped when a structure collapses. USAR task forces include firefighters, search and rescue dog handlers, communications experts, engineers, doctors and paramedics, and various other technical experts. The task forces were crucial in providing emergency relief during the February 2011 Christchurch earthquake and the resilient Tait-based land mobile radio system covering Christchurch was crucial to the emergency response in the first weeks after the earthquakes.

To get updates as our posts get published, subscribe via email below:

Email Address

]]>https://blog.taitradio.com/2017/01/13/tait-gets-hands-on-with-urban-search-and-rescue/feed/0Tait Blog: Top 10 for 2016https://blog.taitradio.com/2017/01/12/tait-blog-top-10-for-2016/
https://blog.taitradio.com/2017/01/12/tait-blog-top-10-for-2016/#respondWed, 11 Jan 2017 19:43:16 +0000https://blog.taitradio.com/?p=7734As we say hello to the new year, we’re taking a look back to bring you a list of our ten most popular blog posts for 2016. These include educational pieces from the Tait Radio Academy, thought-leading Connection articles, informational comparisons between a range of topics, and answers to frequently asked questions. In each post, you’ll find informative videos, white papers, guides, and other helpful information.

We look forward to bringing you more quality content in 2017. Make sure you don’t miss any of our future posts by entering your email address to subscribe to our blog.

To get updates as our posts get published, subscribe via email below:

Email Address

]]>https://blog.taitradio.com/2017/01/12/tait-blog-top-10-for-2016/feed/0Tait Global sales meeting helps end year on a highhttps://blog.taitradio.com/2016/12/23/tait-global-sales-meeting-helps-end-year-on-a-high/
https://blog.taitradio.com/2016/12/23/tait-global-sales-meeting-helps-end-year-on-a-high/#respondThu, 22 Dec 2016 14:30:57 +0000https://blog.taitradio.com/?p=7719Tait Communications’ market-facing staff members from regional offices around the world have been at the company’s base in Christchurch, New Zealand, for the annual sales conference.

The meeting gives our regional sales engineers, marketing and logistics officers and salespeople an opportunity to spend time with Tait’s engineers, product management and customer-service teams to learn about the latest solutions, products and service releases, what’s planned for release in coming months and to share information about the innovative ways our customers are employing solutions from Tait and its partners to improve their businesses.

The Christchurch campus in New Zealand is home to much of Tait Communications’ fundamental research, engineering, software development and solutions design, as well as where the vast majority of the company’s products are manufactured. Bringing sales teams to Christchurch gives all these people opportunities to better understand how their work contributes to solving customer needs. Finally, the meeting is an opportunity to celebrate our market successes and agree on our regional and global targets for the coming year.

This year we welcomed representatives from Harris Corporation, our North American partner, and from the five large regional distribution companies (called Regional Centres of Excellence) which are integral to the Harris-Tait customer-fulfillment system.

Market-facing staff members in any organisation tend to be outgoing, gregarious and optimistic individuals and the Tait market team is no exception. Having so many enthusiastic extroverts in one place, all concentrating on how Tait’s great services and solutions can benefit current and future customers, is a powerful experience and a great way to transition strongly into a new calendar year.

]]>https://blog.taitradio.com/2016/12/23/tait-global-sales-meeting-helps-end-year-on-a-high/feed/0Client Story: Bath Rugby, United Kingdomhttps://blog.taitradio.com/2016/12/08/client-story-bath-rugby-united-kingdom/
https://blog.taitradio.com/2016/12/08/client-story-bath-rugby-united-kingdom/#respondWed, 07 Dec 2016 16:30:02 +0000https://blog.taitradio.com/?p=7648Founded in 1865, Bath Rugby is one of the oldest and most successful clubs in existence. Today Bath Rugby is a professional rugby union club, competing in the Aviva Premiership. Bath’s home ground is the Recreation Ground (“The Rec”), a 14,509 capacity stadium in the centre of Bath.

When former All Blacks captain Todd Blackadder, one of the most highly regarded coaches in world rugby, was appointed Director of Rugby at Bath in July 2016 he wanted to commission a robust radio solution for the coaches and support teams.

Logic Wireless supplies the Crusaders Super Rugby franchise, probably the most famous club in New Zealand, with two-way radios. Todd and Head Coach Tabai Matson were familiar with Logic from their time at the Crusaders, so it was natural that they would approach Logic for a radio solution for Bath Rugby. Bath Rugby coaches use their radios every working day for training sessions and for matches both home and away. The Club had two specific requirements for their radios:

Voice clarity – The radios are being used outside, often in noisy environments.

Robustness – Coaches use the radios in all weathers; the radios must be rugged enough to handle harsh environments (and a little accidental rough treatment).

Each of the five coaches has a Tait TP9310 handset with its own charger and their choice of earpiece, D-shell or in-ear, supplied by Chatterbox. Each of these five radios is a different color (red, yellow, green, orange and black), for easy identification and for health and safety, preventing the likelihood of coaches inadvertently swapping radios, which may have hygiene implications.

Chatterbox also supplied 12 black Tait TP9310 radios for use by the medical team, strength and conditioning crew, kit manager and team manager on match days.These come as two sets of six radios in a ruggedised charging case designed by Logic specifically for this type of application. The radios and earpieces store neatly in the cases. The radios slot into intelligent charging docks, and between fixtures the case simply plugs in to charge all the enclosed units.

Tait prides itself on the robustness of its radios. The TP9310 DMR Tier 2 portable is designed specifically to be tough enough to survive demanding environments whilst providing excellent audio clarity. It is engineered to meet the IP67 rating and uses noise reducing digital technology to ensure voice quality.

The use of radios on training days enables the coaches to work independently, splitting players into groups to focus on specific training, yet still remain in contact with each other to co-ordinate the session. On match days the radios allow the coaches to move around and assess play from different angles while discussing the team’s performance in real time with their colleagues.

“The use of two-way radios makes it easier for the coaching and support team at Bath Rugby to communicate and be more effective, both in training and on match days. Their use is a no-brainer for me. They are a necessary tool for us.”
Todd Blackadder, Director of Rugby, Bath Rugby

“The radios supplied by Logic have been fantastic. They are hugely efficient in terms ofsound quality – a big plus on a noisy match day to make sure the messages we want toget across are being relayed accurately – and they are robust enough to withstand allweather conditions and treatment they may have to work in.”
Tabai Matson, Head Coach, Bath Rugby

Contact a Tait reseller in your area to learn more about our portable radio solutions and find out how we can help your organization.

]]>https://blog.taitradio.com/2016/12/08/client-story-bath-rugby-united-kingdom/feed/0Communications in Natural Disasters: Why do radios work during a hurricane or earthquake?https://blog.taitradio.com/2016/12/06/communications-in-natural-disasters-why-do-radios-work-during-a-hurricane-or-earthquake/
https://blog.taitradio.com/2016/12/06/communications-in-natural-disasters-why-do-radios-work-during-a-hurricane-or-earthquake/#respondMon, 05 Dec 2016 22:37:19 +0000https://blog.taitradio.com/?p=7668In the chaotic wake of natural disasters such as hurricanes (Hurricane Matthew reached Category 5) or earthquakes, communications are crucial to response and recovery efforts. Emergency response crews need to be confident that they have a reliable, resilient system to continue their communications and assist with rescue efforts.

So why do radios continue working during times when power has gone out and significant damage has been caused to the landscape? Radio networks hold several key features that make it the reliable backbone for critical communications in times of emergencies.

1) Power back-ups

Mobile radio networks are most often designed to withstand prolonged power outages. Network and repeater sites are built with features such battery backup, generators, or wind or solar power. When a significant event takes out power, sites can be programmed to automatically switch over to their backup power source, enabling the radio infrastructure to continue working. These sites are typically provisioned for several days of external power failure.

2) Off-network calls

And even when power outages do occur, mobile radio within a district will continue to operate in simplex, or direct, mode. In this mode, the transmitter and the receiver operate on the same frequency and do not rely on repeaters. This means that in the event of the network infrastructure being down, hand-held portables and vehicle-based mobiles can continue to talk around the network. Radio users with line of sight can continue talking to each other, even as far as several miles apart if there is no significant obstruction between them.

3) Dedicated channels

Following a disaster, congestion often overloads networks, especially cellular available to the public, leading to call and text failures. In order to mitigate this, radio networks used for critical communications provide dedicated channels for the organizations that use them. While radio networks can still become congested during these times, management of the system allows for emergency call prioritization, ensuring that high-priority calls continue to get through.

4) Mobile & portable battery life

Having a functioning network is of no use if emergency response crew members don’t have portable and mobile radios to use on it. Emergency personnel may be out in the field for unpredictably long periods of time, and they need handheld communications devices that they can depend on to last as long as they need them to. Portable radios are purpose-built for extended periods of use. A typical shift life is about 8-12 hours, depending on the Tx/Rx/Standby duty cycle. They are also able to be recharged via vehicle chargers or spare battery packs, if necessary.

5) Robust, resilient design

In emergency response situations, the environment is often quite extreme, and first responders may be subject to heat, rain, mud, rubble, dust and other challenging conditions. Not only must the portable devices they take into the field be able to withstand these environments, but the rest of the network must be resilient as well. Rugged, robust portables, mobiles, and networks are vital to ensuring critical communications remain operational. Radio equipment such as Tait Tough products are engineered to operate in extreme conditions, and provide a reliable network to ensure communication stays intact.

Firstly, the Police radio networks have their own dedicated linking infrastructure (usually dedicated microwave, MiMOMax, or radio links) between sites. Often these links are designed with redundancy in mind (two paths to any site), so that a break in a path won’t necessarily cause failure of the network. Secondly, even if the linking connection to a radio site disappears, most radio sites will still run autonomously providing local communications, meaning that within the same district, they could continue talking.

]]>https://blog.taitradio.com/2016/12/06/communications-in-natural-disasters-why-do-radios-work-during-a-hurricane-or-earthquake/feed/0Take a survey to help us improve the Tait website and get the chance to win $100 gift cardhttps://blog.taitradio.com/2016/11/25/tait-website-survey/
https://blog.taitradio.com/2016/11/25/tait-website-survey/#respondFri, 25 Nov 2016 02:00:07 +0000https://blog.taitradio.com/?p=7634We are currently in the processing of revamping our main website and would like to ask for your help. We would like to better understand how website users navigate online.
By completing this online survey, you will get the chance to win one of 3 NZ$100 gift cards*]]>We are currently in the processing of revamping our main website and would like to ask for your help. We would like to better understand how website users navigate online.

By completing this online survey, you will get the chance to win one of 3 NZ$100 gift cards*

To enter the draw you will need to provide your email address at the end of the study. The activity shouldn’t take longer than 10 to 15 minutes to complete.

Survey Closed

*Note that gift cards will be purchased in the survey participant’s city of residence. The NZ$100 will be converted to your local currency equivalent. For example, if one of the winners is from the US, an Amazon gift card will be purchased in US$ equivalent to NZ$100 at the time of purchase.

]]>https://blog.taitradio.com/2016/11/25/tait-website-survey/feed/0Client Story: Tait Exceeds Expectations in Carroll County, Tennesseehttps://blog.taitradio.com/2016/11/23/client-story-tait-exceeds-expectations-in-carroll-county-tennessee/
https://blog.taitradio.com/2016/11/23/client-story-tait-exceeds-expectations-in-carroll-county-tennessee/#respondWed, 23 Nov 2016 01:54:42 +0000https://blog.taitradio.com/?p=7617Carroll County is located in the state of Tennessee, USA. Covering an area of over 600 square miles, it has a population of over 28,000 people. The fire department consists of 170 volunteer firemen in 12 stations, while the Sheriff’s office has 23 sworn deputies. The agencies handle fire, traffic and emergency calls across the largely rural county.

The county’s emergency services were operating an analog radio network that had been in place for many years. Though it was simple and familiar to staff, the shortcomings in the system could no longer be ignored.

Terry Bradshaw, the Carroll County Fire Chief said his volunteers had a lot of problems communicating in various areas of the county. David Bun, Chief Deputy of the Carroll County Sheriff’s office, said his Deputies were forced to resort to cellular phones as a backup, which was problematic as cellular reception was equally inconsistent. This created areas where there was no communication at all, which is unacceptable when fighting fires, or even during every-day traffic stops. The county sought a solution that would let officers and volunteers do their jobs with safety and ease.

Carroll County got the opportunity to see a Tait Communications network that had been installed in a nearby county by B&E Electronics. After being impressed by the benefits first hand, a Tait solution for Carroll County was approved by the Board of Commission.

Carroll County opted for a DMR Tier 3 800MHz trunked network, comprised of five transmit sites, two channels per site. Deputies and Fire Fighters were equipped with TP9300 portable radios, and TM9300 mobile radios in their vehicles. The new equipment was installed in phases to minimize communications downtime over the transition period.

The solution included encryption to keep sensitive law enforcement communications private, and data applications such as Man Down and Lone Worker to improve worker safety.

The coverage of the DMR Tier 3 network far exceeded that of the old analog network. David Bun, Carroll County Chief Deputy was surprised, saying “We can talk. In 95% of the county, we can all talk.”

The safety issues caused by the analog network were quickly remedied by the superior coverage and data applications offered by DMR Tier 3. Staff no longer find themselves in areas without communications, so dispatch can immediately be made aware of any incidents as they happen. The Sheriff’s office appreciate the encrypted communication, making sensitive law enforcement situations more secure. The Man Down and Lone Worker features give Fire Fighters peace of mind that they can instantly send out an alert in hazardous situations.

Terry Bradshaw, Carroll County Fire Chief, had glowing praise for the new system: “It exceeds my expectations. As far as the communications system, the radio product, the product you sold me is excellent. It exceeds, and does far and beyond what I thought it would do. Even though I’d seen it work and I’d seen it in action, it does far and beyond what I’d thought. There are areas we now can communicate, that we couldn’t communicate, and have never been able to communicate. It far exceeds anything that I’d really thought about. I knew it worked, I knew the product worked, I knew people had told me the product worked, but now I have experienced the product, and it’s great.”

Contact a Tait reseller in your area to learn more about our DMR Tier 3 solutions and find out how we can help your organization.

]]>https://blog.taitradio.com/2016/11/23/client-story-tait-exceeds-expectations-in-carroll-county-tennessee/feed/0Tait Software Engineers awarded at GovHack NZhttps://blog.taitradio.com/2016/11/16/tait-software-engineers-awarded-at-govhack-nz/
https://blog.taitradio.com/2016/11/16/tait-software-engineers-awarded-at-govhack-nz/#respondTue, 15 Nov 2016 21:22:29 +0000https://blog.taitradio.com/?p=7598A team of Tait software engineers has won an award at the GovHack NZ event, creating an application that uses public information to improve travel routes. Taking their name from Tait founder Sir Angus Tait, “Team Angus” consisted of Senior Design Engineers John Carter, Daniel Hughes and Alexander Zinovyev. Their award winning concept employed available public data from Google Maps, the Transport Agency and City Council to “give personalized information for a customer’s journey that makes the trip predictable, enjoyable and interesting.”

“We got involved because we’re working on delivering a lot more capability in our next generation of terminals, so we were interested in how to translate that into value for our customers,” says John Carter.

GovHack NZ requires small teams of competitors to produce any kind of “hack” using government data in 46 hours, from Friday evening to Sunday afternoon. The format of a “hack” is unspecified, but the most common are web applications, mobile applications, or visualizations.

The event was based in Christchurch, New Zealand, a city still rebuilding civic infrastructure after a series of destructive earthquakes in 2010-2011, where citizens still encounter frequent roadworks and road closures during their daily commute. Identifying this as a problem that could be solved with public data, Team Angus created a working concept in the category of “Bounty: Christchurch Transport Data Hack”.

Attendees of the GovHack NZ awards.

The team’s award winning solution was an application that queried Google Maps service for typical route information, then combined that with available local data about roadworks and road closures on the suggested routes, providing commuters with information about why the roadwork was being done, how long the disruption would be, and ultimately delivering the best unimpeded route.

John says it’s a simple example of using data a customer already has, to add value.

“We keep saying we want apps for our customers, but I say that our customers already have applications; they have massive mission-critical back office systems. They’ve spent more on them than they’ve ever spent on our (radio) systems. We need to go to our customers and say, ‘We know how to get your data to the front line, in your vehicles, in a manner that’s robust, reliable, mission-critical, secure and authenticated. We have the skills and tools to do it; let us go to it’.”

Tait Communications congratulates the members of Team Angus on their success at GovHack NZ, and is proud of their contribution such an innovative, creative event.

]]>https://blog.taitradio.com/2016/11/16/tait-software-engineers-awarded-at-govhack-nz/feed/0Client Story: Tait DMR Tier 3 Network helps Kansas City keep the lights onhttps://blog.taitradio.com/2016/11/05/client-story-tait-dmr-tier-3-network-helps-kansas-city-keep-the-lights-on/
https://blog.taitradio.com/2016/11/05/client-story-tait-dmr-tier-3-network-helps-kansas-city-keep-the-lights-on/#respondFri, 04 Nov 2016 13:30:54 +0000https://blog.taitradio.com/?p=7586Kansas City Power and Light (KCP&L), an electric utility company in Kansas City, Missouri, has a reputation as one of the most reliable energy suppliers in the Midwest. After acquiring another utility company, KCP&L found themselves with an unreliable communications network comprised of three entirely separate radio systems. These systems covered different parts of their service area, but couldn’t communicate with one another.

With 850,000 customers to look after over 18,000 square miles, their current radio systems’ lack of interoperability, service coverage gaps, and the resulting potential risk to worker safety had become unacceptable. Crews could not communicate with each other during storm situations, and there were locations where workers had virtually no communication options at all. As one of the networks was nearing its end-of-life, it was time to find a better option.

“The Tait system has been very good. It’s improved our safety, which at KCP&L is the number one priority,” says Cory Miller, Senior Manager of Emergency Response, KCP&L.

In addition to improving worker safety, the Tait system immediately solved KCP&L’s interoperability issue, and has provided them with coverage that is better than ever.

“Partnering with Tait, we were able to deliver a communication system that is reliable, dependable and available all the time,” says Melvin Charuvilayil, Supervisor, IT Network Planning & Engineering, KCP&L.

As a result of implementing the Tait DMR Tier 3 system, KCP&L has drastically improved their response time, helping them provide a better service to their customers, more safely and efficiently than ever before.

Contact a Tait reseller in your area to learn more about our DMR Tier 3 solutions and find out how we can help your organization.

]]>https://blog.taitradio.com/2016/11/05/client-story-tait-dmr-tier-3-network-helps-kansas-city-keep-the-lights-on/feed/0Understanding PTToC and what it means for Critical Communicationshttps://blog.taitradio.com/2016/11/01/understanding-pttoc-and-what-it-means-for-critical-communications/
https://blog.taitradio.com/2016/11/01/understanding-pttoc-and-what-it-means-for-critical-communications/#respondMon, 31 Oct 2016 13:30:42 +0000https://blog.taitradio.com/?p=7560Just a decade ago, LMR was the only standard for critical communications. Communications technology has brought about new advancements as organizations around the world seek to understand how these will influence their communications. Tait VP (Solutions Marketing) Bruce Mazza explores what Push-to-Talk over Cellular (PTToC) means for mission critical organizations today and in the future.

PTToC allows users to replicate radio features like instant group communication with a simple button push. This smartphone application presents an opportunity for staff without radios to access communication features that radio provides, from their smartphones.

WiFi networks are pervasive now, and offer excellent broadband coverage in many places. As long as a PTT user is connected to the internet – through a cellular network, WiFi or another bearer – they can communicate through the PTT app on their smartphone.

Is PTToC Mission Critical?

Mission critical systems must guarantee a certain level of service, which cannot be guaranteed on cellular networks today. In particular, availability and latency cause problems for mission critical users.

Public carriers are more prone to failure during large emergencies. Large events can clog public networks, even take them down. However, mission critical networks are built for availability, and even if the network fails, users can still communicate through simplex mode. You simply don’t have that type of redundancy with PTToC.

On LMR, the time between pressing the button and when a call is received is typically 200 milliseconds. On a public cellular network that services millions of consumers, mission critical users simply don’t have control of that timing. When there are too many people active on the network, there can be unacceptable delays. But while PTToC cannot be mission critical today, it can still offer benefits for mission critical organizations.

Mission critical systems provide dedicated coverage and capacity, with priority and emergency calling features which cannot be replicated on cellular networks today. In particular, availability and latency cause problems for mission critical users.

The Benefits

Expand the user network

Even mission critical organizations have a percentage of staff who do not require critical communications. Ideally you would connect them to the network, but often, the additional cost can’t be justified.

Let’s look at public transport for example. Many staff on a train don’t have push-to-talk device radios today, but they do carry mobile devices for mobile ticketing or other data tasks. If there is a safety issue, a security incident or emergency, a push-to-talk application on that device means a ticketing agent can alert dispatch or the conductor through the group communication network.

Available anytime and anywhere

Another big advantage of PTToC is the IP connection. As long as your smartphone is connected to the internet, you can connect to your critical network from anywhere in the world. Imagine you’re a police chief who’s off-duty on a golf course in Hawaii, and you learn about a major event in your home town. Through the IP connection, you can instantly join your organization’s communication, ask the right questions and talk to your people, or just listen in to make sure the situation is under control.

Increased coverage

Cellular and WiFi signals will work where private radio data LMR system signals may not. In large buildings like malls or hospitals, and underground locations like utilities substations, WiFi gives your people an extra layer of coverage that helps fill black spots.

Integrating PTToC into your network

Integrating mission critical radio with PTToC can create a “network of networks” for the best of both worlds. Several techniques are already in use.

Increasingly, simple analog gateway devices are integrating a PTToC domain into a land mobile radio domain, so that audio can pass between push-to-talk app users and users on the radio system.

That audio gateway can also be transformed with protocols such as ISSI for P25 and AIS for DMR. These intelligent IP based software gateways pass both audio and information like the subscriber unit ID or emergency call-out signaling from unit to unit.

The next step – currently under development – will truly unify the push-to-talk and the land mobile radio for the end user. If a user pushes the PTT button on the radio or speaker mic, the device will select whether the signal will transmit over LMR or broadband. This decision is automatic, depending on the strongest available signal. This will be the ultimate integration technique because the user doesn’t need to decide between devices. They can use a traditional device and gain access to the “network of networks” for the best coverage possible.

The road ahead for PTToC

The standards body that manages the mission critical PTToC is the 3rd Generation Partnership (3GPP). Their primary goal is to replicate LMR features in the cellular world. Through the standards, a number of enhancements will be made for PTToC. These include:

There won’t be a one-size-fits-all mobile interface client, because specific interfaces will be mapped to people’s roles. You’ll have one interface for a security guard, another for a policeman, and another for an undercover detective.

A radio can operate in direct mode, where one radio user can talk to another without any base station or network. Today that feature does not exist in mobile phones because they need to talk to a tower. But this upcoming standard will let you communicate mobile phone-to mobile phone, if you’re within range — a really important feature for firefighters on a fire ground.

These Mission Critical PTT (MCPTT) features were ratified by 3GPP in March 2016 and will be in place in cellular network equipment as a software module within a couple of years, although realistically, it will be longer before they have an impact.

And the new standards still won’t solve some other inherent disadvantages of public cellular networks, such as the lack of backup generation for 4G towers and the radio base stations. So if the power goes down, so does the cellular communication. Typical LMR towers, however, have anywhere from two to five days of backup power generation at each site.

So even though it is not yet mission critical, there are plenty of good reasons to invest in PTToC. By unifying critical communication networks you can give your users choice and advanced coverage while they work with the reality of multiple networks. PTToC brings added redundancy and a simpler interface that will improve their safety, efficiency, and user satisfaction.

If you would like to learn about the Tait PTToC solution, please visit our Tait TeamPTT page or contact us today about a demonstration.

This article is taken from Connection Magazine, Issue 7. Connection is a collection of educational and thought-leading articles focusing on critical communications, wireless and radio technology.

Unsafe practices in the workplaces can cost both lives and money. As a follow-up to our last post, How to Optimize the Man Down Worker Safety Feature, we wanted to provide a real-life scenario to demonstrate how this communication solution works, and to illustrate the direct correlation between safety and efficiency.

In today’s increasingly safety-conscious world, most understand the role of radio in enabling voice communications. But did you also know that modern digital radio networks can also provide data applications that increase worker safety?

Features like Man Down and Location Services, which are supported on Tait DMR Tier 3 networks, vastly improve worker safety by enabling organizations to take preemptive steps in avoiding incidents via monitoring. Should an incident occur, help can be sent more quickly resolve the issue. While worker safety is always top priority, these applications carry the added bonus of improving organizational efficiency as well. If your workers remain safe, the mine remains productive.

Man Down has its place in many different industries, but in this example we’ll look at mining. Mining presents plenty of hazards, and the industry recognizes that safety is of utmost importance. In day-to-day operations, many hazards include extreme heat, noxious fumes, heavy machinery, noise, geological movement, gas or dust explosions, and blasting. Each hazard poses a high risk to employee health if not properly monitored and controlled. An injury or safety-related incident could shut down production, resulting in large losses.

Consider this scenario:

George is an experienced miner, with 20 years under his belt, so he knows the ins and outs of mining and he’s been well briefed on the best safety practices. Working alone in a low-traffic sector of the mine, George is still ten minutes from his next scheduled call-in when he feels faint and collapses to the ground.

George is lying there out of sight and in need of medical attention. It is not until almost fifteen minutes later, when dispatch sees he has missed his scheduled call and tries to radio him, that the alarm is raised. It takes another fifteen minutes for the mine’s emergency rescue team to mobilize and get to the sector where George is known to be working. By that time, however, it’s too late. George has died from a heart attack.

When George collapses, the Man Down tilt sensor in the radio registers that the radio has gone beyond a certain angle, and a short timer begins counting down. Since George is unconscious and cannot move, the timer expires and the radio enters a warning state, notifying dispatch that there is a problem.

When dispatch receives the alert, they attempt to radio George and get no response. The emergency rescue team is assembled and dispatched. Meanwhile, dispatch views the GPS locations of other workers, and realizes that Dan is working nearby. They radio Dan to go help George, and provide him with a specific location.

Thanks to clear directions and his initial proximity to George, Dan arrives several minutes before the emergency rescue team and immediately begins CPR. George received help within 5 minutes instead of 30, and he is rescued and given medical care. Any disruption to production is minimized and thanks to the worker safety features of DMR Tier 3, the mine avoids both tragic and fiscal loss.

While this scenario imagines a mine, it is easy to picture a similar situation in any type of field where employees may work as lone workers in potentially high-hazard situations. From utilities to oil & gas to public safety, keeping your workers safe and knowing their location at all times are key ingredients to improving efficiency.

You can read more about how Location Services can help your organization by downloading our free white paper, Location Services Over Your Radio Network. For more information on the Tait products and solutions that can increase your worker safety and efficiency, please contact us.

]]>https://blog.taitradio.com/2016/10/27/how-mining-companies-can-improve-worker-safety-with-voice-and-data/feed/0How to Optimize the Man Down Worker Safety Featurehttps://blog.taitradio.com/2016/10/18/how-to-optimize-the-man-down-worker-safety-feature/
https://blog.taitradio.com/2016/10/18/how-to-optimize-the-man-down-worker-safety-feature/#respondMon, 17 Oct 2016 14:30:01 +0000https://blog.taitradio.com/?p=7526One of the more popular safety features on the Tait TP9300 and TP9400 portables is Man Down. This feature takes advantage of an accelerometer in the portable radio. This means that if someone falls and gets hurt, and for whatever reason can’t call for help themselves, dispatch will automatically receive notification. Response time will improve dramatically and can even save lives.

Minimize False Alarms

Man Down alerts typically occur because of inactivity or tilt. If the radio remains motionless for a period of time, an Inactivity Timer will start. If any movement occurs within this time, the timer resets and the radio will revert to its normal state. The tilt sensor monitors the angle of the radio. If a user falls and the accelerometer reports that the radio has gone beyond a certain angle, the radio starts a Tilt Timer. Once again, if the radio reverts back to the original angle then the timer resets. If either of these two timers expire, then the radio enters a warning state and dispatch will be notified.

If someone has fallen or is hurt and can’t move, these features can be instrumental in improving response time. But because users often sit down or even lay down for various reasons on the job, it can become very easy for false alarms to be sent. Like the boy who cried wolf, false alarms can lead to unnecessary call-outs to remote locations, increased costs and ultimately a loss in confidence when using the Man Down function. You can avoid False Alarms and user frustration with the right programming and user training.

Programming

Both the timers for inactivity and tilt can be programmed by the manager. You will want to optimize the timer length so that it is short enough to send an alarm before it’s too late, but not so short that it is constantly raising alarms. Depending on the type of work your people are doing, you might set the timer to 10 seconds or 60 seconds. Ultimately, the needs of your business should guide the timing, and experienced communication professionals like Tait can help guide you with best practice for your industry.

Ensure proper user training

The most important piece of Man Down functionality is the training of its users. All users should be aware of the safety feature and how to operate it; this means knowing how to turn it on and off, knowing how to recognize when it is active, and being aware of the different audio tones and alarms associated with Man Down.

Ensuring that the radio is in an upright position and easily reachable means the radio will not activate the tilt timer unnecessarily. If it is activated, the worker can easily press a key to revert the radio to its normal state.

In the event of an accident or emergency where the worker either does not move the radio for the pre-programmable amount of time or the radio is resting above the pre-programmed angle, a warning timer will start. If the radio remains in this state (either at a greater angle or without movement) then an alarm will start. If the worker is okay and not injured during this alarm they are able to reset the radio by pressing a key to revert the radio to its normal state. Note – if an injured worker accidentally presses a key and the radio is back to its normal state then they can simply press the emergency key to activate the emergency call this in this alternative way – they do not need to wait for the warning timer to expire again).

Make sure it is turned on

This may sound ridiculously simple and obvious, but the Man Down feature can’t help your people when it is turned off. With proper training, users can quickly recognize if the Man Down is on or off to ensure their safety in case of an accident. It’s also important to check the volume knobs to ensure they are at an audible level before commencing tasks that require Man Down.

You can help by choosing the most intuitive process for enabling Man Down on the radio. It can either happen automatically when the radio is switched on, or you can require the user to toggle Man Down on or off via a designated function key (either long or short press).

Connect it with Location Services

When you combine the benefits of Man Down with Location Services, you can respond to worker safety incidents even faster. For instance, if someone falls and the alarm is sent to dispatch, even if the injured worker cannot talk, dispatch will know exactly where to send help. The GPS in the portable radio can guide the rescue operation, ensuring medical care arrives on the scene as quickly as possible.

Conclusion

Man Down should be configured to align with your organizational procedures and work team environments. When combined with appropriate staff training and other safety features like Lone Worker or Location Services, you will have a system that provides reassurance to workers and management alike that their safety is a priority.

If you’d like to learn more about how Tait solutions can improve your worker safety, then contact us today.

]]>https://blog.taitradio.com/2016/10/18/how-to-optimize-the-man-down-worker-safety-feature/feed/0Communications in Hazardous Areas: Challenges to Efficiency and Their Solutionshttps://blog.taitradio.com/2016/10/07/communications-in-hazardous-areas-challenges-to-efficiency-and-their-solutions/
https://blog.taitradio.com/2016/10/07/communications-in-hazardous-areas-challenges-to-efficiency-and-their-solutions/#respondFri, 07 Oct 2016 02:35:45 +0000https://blog.taitradio.com/?p=7238In dangerous working environments, safety is not only a priority — it’s a requirement. When sending workers into hazardous areas, excellent communications are key to ensuring they remain safe. But the right communications can do more than just improve worker safety; they can also vastly increase efficiency, leading to greater return on investment for your organization.

Below are the challenges that workers in hazardous areas face and the recommended solutions that you may consider for your organization:

1) Challenge: Volatile SubstancesA hazardous area may be defined wherever volatile or flammable substances, such as fuel, gas, or flammable dusts are present. Due to their potential of heat generation or sparking, hand-held communication devices must be chosen carefully so they do not cause an ignition.

Solution: Intrinsically Safe DevicesThe International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) standard for explosive atmospheres (Ex) equipment, the IEC 60079 series, is now the international benchmark. It is currently used in more than 30 IECEx member countries to define standards for Intrinsically Safe (IS).

IS equipment is required in a wide range of industries, from public safety and utilities, to mining, petrochemical and transportation.IS radios allow critical communications to be conducted in hazardous environments where use of non-IS radios would be potentially dangerous. When it comes to choosing an IS communications network, recent technological advances have provided organizations with more options than ever before.

It can be difficult to determine which purchases are not only best for your organization’s safety, but will offer maximum return on investment. The path to selecting the right system lies in understanding some of the challenges posed by hazardous environments, and the benefits the right products and solutions can offer.

2) Challenge: ConnectivityHazardous areas, such as mines or oil fields, are often located in remote areas where cellular service can be patchy, if available at all. This is an issue because workers need to be connected to ensure personnel safety. Without connectivity, they can’t call for help, and you can’t send them critical information, such as site-specific risks they may encounter.

Solution: IS Portable Radio DeviceIntrinsically Safe portable radios are designed to meet stringent international safety standards, meaning they can safely operate in hazardous areas. If the portable runs on a feature-rich network such as DMR Tier 3, not only will you get reliable voice communications, but also you can stay connected through packet data transference.

You can monitor their safety through things like Man Down or Lone Worker, and they can provide information such as temperature, chemical detection, and other risk presence gathered from a site. As a result, workers have fast, reliable access to more data, improving their situational awareness and response, and leading to increased efficiency and safety.

3) Challenge: Extreme ConditionsHazardous areas are defined as such because of their extreme conditions. Often, field workers are subject to extreme heat, moisture, shocks, jolts, and all manner of ruggedness. They need equipment that continues to function within these atmospheres because when communications equipment fails, production comes to a halt.

Solution: Tough Portable RadiosThe devices these field workers use need to be as tough and rugged as the environments themselves. Tait Tough IS portable radios are engineered for demanding environments with IP67 rating and exceeding MIL standard specification. This means they can withstand all the shocks, drops, vibrations, moisture, and temperatures your employees put them through.

Not only is the hardware tough, but the software is tough as well. Each Tait radio goes through countless tests to ensure that when you push the talk button, you can communicate and keep your organization running.

4) Challenge: SecurityMany organizations transfer sensitive data to various places and it needs to stay confidential. Interception in hazardous areas or dangerous situations can put employees at risk or lead to theft of critical data by competing or outside organizations.

Solution: Data EncryptionNetworks such as the DMR Tier 3 platform support voice and data security features that ensure privacy for your workforce communications. Tait DMR portables also incorporate a Stun and Revive feature that enables network administrators to remotely disable radios should they be lost or stolen, further prohibiting data access for unauthorized users. Confidence that data can be transmitted and received securely enables your organization to concentrate on the task at hand.

5) Challenge: Environmental AwarenessIn hazardous areas such as mines or oil fields, negative impact on the environment is always a risk. Sites with the potential for environmental harm, such as leaks or spills, must be monitored closely. In the event of an incident and subsequent audit, records and precautions must be proven. Keeping constant track of this data can be time-consuming and complicated. There is also threat to worker safety in areas where unexpected and unnoticed changes in the environment
can pose issues, such as noxious fume levels in mines or petrochemical plants.

Solution: Data MonitoringNetworks that support data transference and storage greatly increase efficiency by automating the monitoring process. Equipment can constantly monitor areas, such as chemicals in water or fumes in the air, and then relay this information back to control. This data tends to be quite small, and can even be transmitted over a DMR Tier 3 voice and data network.

Data can be stored and organized automatically, making it easy to recall when needed for audits or to look for business efficiencies. Customizable levels and limits can be set per your organization’s needs, and alerts or alarms automatically initiated if something exceeds those standards. With everything happening automatically, efforts can be focused on production.

What now?Advancing technology continues to improve the way organizations communicate. As communications solutions develop, so too does the potential for greater efficiency.

]]>https://blog.taitradio.com/2016/10/07/communications-in-hazardous-areas-challenges-to-efficiency-and-their-solutions/feed/0How to Migrate from Analog to DMR without the headaches (Part 2)https://blog.taitradio.com/2016/10/04/how-to-migrate-from-analog-to-dmr-without-the-headaches-part-2/
https://blog.taitradio.com/2016/10/04/how-to-migrate-from-analog-to-dmr-without-the-headaches-part-2/#respondMon, 03 Oct 2016 20:54:13 +0000https://blog.taitradio.com/?p=7291This is the second in a series of articles we’ll be presenting on migrating from legacy radio networks to more modern technology, the advantages they can offer your organization and how Tait solutions can make it a simple process.

Migrating from Analog to DMR

Many organizations continue to use old analog or MPT radio networks simply because they’re familiar and trusted, despite the range of great features offered by modern digital radio. Fortunately, the path to upgrade from analog to DMR (digital mobile radio) is simple and can yield a number of great benefits for your business.

Why upgrade to DMR?

Open StandardsDMR is an open digital mobile radio standard used by utilities, transport agencies, mining, oil and gas companies around the world. In most cases, products that meet the DMR standard will work on any DMR network, providing choice and competitive pricing for hardware.

Digital Audio QualityUnlike analog radio, DMR uses a digital vocoder to create a clear voice signal, minimizing environmental noise and delivering an easily audible message. Where an analog signal would degrade as coverage decreases, digital radio maintains high quality to the edge of coverage area.

Data Applications that increase worker safety and efficiencyDMR offers a data channel along with voice, which can be utilized in a variety of useful ways, from delivering GPS location data to SCADA and telemetry data. Services like Lone Worker and Man Down take advantage of this data channel for worker safety features.

Greater Channel CapacityDMR uses two-slot TDMA technology to deliver two voice channels where an analog radio radio network could only support one. This allows for twice the communication channels on your existing frequency band.

Ease of MigrationDMR uses very similar transmission technology to analog radio, meaning the process of upgrading may be easier and less expensive than you think. Tait can offer a solution that makes the transition especially seamless.

The Path to Digital

The key to easy transition from analog radio to DMR is equipment that can be used between technologies, like the Tait TB9300 base station, the TP9300 portable, and TM9300 mobile radios, which feature four different operating modes – conventional FM, MPT 1327, conventional DMR Tier 2 and trunked DMR Tier 3. Using devices like this allows you to upgrade from analog to DMR as your needs dictate.

Depending on your existing radio network, there are a several potential migration paths to DMR. If you are using a conventional analog system, you may upgrade to DMR Tier 2. However, if you are taking advantage of a trunked MPT 1327 you’ll likely upgrade to DMR Tier 3, as the standard supports trunked talkgroups.

Example 1: Analog to DMR

If you’re using an analog radio network and want to take advantage of the features of DMR, you’ll need to eventually upgrade both your base stations and your radios to DMR capable models. Fortunately, this process is made much easier by sourcing radios and base stations that can operate in both analog and DMR mode, like the Tait TP9300 radio and Tait TB7300 base station. These devices can be added to your network without disruption, continuing to run in analog mode until you’re ready to switch over to DMR.

If your organisation then grows to the point of needing a trunked radio network, you’ll already have all the infrastructure and hardware required to switch to DMR Tier 3.

The transition to DMR offers a drastic increase in the utility your radio network can offer. Now not only a means for voice communication, your network can utilize applications that instantly transmit data from users wherever they are, improving safety and operational efficiency.

Example 2: MPT 1327 to DMR

If you’re using a trunked MPT 1327 network and wish to upgrade to DMR, you’ll need to switch to DMR Tier 3 to maintain your trunked functionality. As part of this process, you will need to upgrade both your radios and base stations to DMR capable models. This process can be made easier by choosing the Tait TB9300 base station and Tait TP9300 radios, which can operate in either MPT 1327 or DMR mode, allowing you to continue to operate your MPT 1327 network without disruption while the migration takes place.

Once you have DMR capable radios and base stations installed, switching from MPT 1327 to DMR Tier 3 is just a matter of a software update at the base station. It’s as simple as that.

Start your Migration today

Tait makes the migration from analog to DMR radio networks simple, providing your company great tools to help get their jobs done safely and efficiently. Every organization has unique needs, and our goal at Tait is to listen to your situation and propose the easiest migration path for you. The flexibility of solutions like the 9300 series makes this possible.

If you’re interested in learning more about migrating your analog radio network to a modern digital network, get in touch with Tait Communications to discuss a long term solution that meets your organization’s needs.

]]>https://blog.taitradio.com/2016/10/04/how-to-migrate-from-analog-to-dmr-without-the-headaches-part-2/feed/0How to Migrate from Analog to P25 without the headaches (Part 1)https://blog.taitradio.com/2016/09/27/how-to-migrate-from-analog-to-p25-without-the-headaches-part-1/
https://blog.taitradio.com/2016/09/27/how-to-migrate-from-analog-to-p25-without-the-headaches-part-1/#respondMon, 26 Sep 2016 15:00:45 +0000https://blog.taitradio.com/?p=7160This is the first in a series of articles we’ll present on migrating from legacy radio networks to more modern technology, the advantages they can offer your organization and how Tait solutions can make it a simple process.

Migrating from Analog to P25

If your department is using an analog or Analog Simulcast over IP radio network, you’ll already be familiar with the benefits those systems offer. One of the greatest strengths about Tait analog systems is how easy we make migration to a more feature rich P25 network, as the needs of your agency dictate.

Why upgrade to P25?

P25 is an open standard for public safety digital radio. Its real beauty is interoperability, allowing different departments to coordinate in emergency situations.

P25 devices from different vendors are compatible, and there is a wide range to choose from. This offers peace of mind to agencies that need specific features within budget restrictions.

To facilitate the need for security in public safety, P25 includes a robust encryption standard. In a sensitive law enforcement situation, users can communicate with the confidence that their calls are only being received by the intended recipients.

P25 takes advantage of modern features that add convenience and life saving capability to your network. GPS location services, Man Down and Lone Worker functionality protect the safety of your staff in the field.

The case for migrating to P25 is clear, but how easy is the transition process?

A simple path

Tait offers a solution that makes migrating from analog to P25 a breeze.

Depending on the technology you currently have in place, it’s possible you already have elements of the infrastructure necessary to migrate to P25. The Tait solution is very flexible, offering several different migration paths. The graphic below illustrates one of those paths, and shows how the same hardware can be utilized in the various stages of migrating from an analog radio system through to P25 Phase 2.

Because P25 uses the same 12.5kHz frequencies as your existing narrow band FM or AS-IP network, your agency can continue to use its existing radio channels, simply upgrading key components as you decide the time is right for migration.

Analog to AS-IP

If you want to keep your analog network today, but prepare for P25 in the future, then the first step in migrating is a transition to Analog Simulcast over IP (AS-IP). This technology continues to use your existing radio frequency, but begins to incorporate digital features and builds a foundation of hardware that will be crucial in the potential shift to P25.

The new hardware you’ll introduce during this stage is an AS-IP & P25 capable base station, the Tait TB9400. Any analog radio can work on the AS-IP network, but if you need to start updating terminals, then choose the multi-mode Tait TP9400. These additions can be gradually implemented in phases, because each Tait 9400 base station and terminal is capable of Analog Conventional, Analog Simulcast, P25 Phase 1, and P25 Phase 2.

The process need not be disruptive or costly. Your existing analog radios will continue to operate on this network, and you’ll be prepared to migrate to P25 whenever you see fit.

AS-IP to P25

When interoperability and the other benefits of P25 radio networks becomes a priority, its time to consider migrating from AS-IP to P25. Fortunately, if you installed the TB9400, you already have all the required network hardware in place. Since the Tait 9400 base stations and radios are P25 capable, the only real change is updating the software and feature licenses. It’s as simple as that.

Many agencies choose to keep their equipment in analog mode until all the hardware has been replaced with P25 capable equipment. Once that is complete, it’s time to “flip the switch” to P25.

P25 Phase 1 to Phase 2

With twice the spectral efficiency of your existing network, P25 Phase 2 represents the premier standard of public safety radio networks. P25 Phase 2 is backwards compatible with P25 Phase 1, to once again ease the transition of migration, giving you tremendous value from your existing hardware.

Start your Migration today

The migration path from analog to P25 radio networks is simple and efficient, providing your agency great tools to help get their jobs done. Every agency has unique needs, and our goal at Tait is to listen to your situation and propose the easiest migration path for you. For instance, you may not want AS-IP, or you might want to migrate straight to P25 Phase 2. The flexibility of the 9400 series makes all this possible and more.

If you’re interested in learning more about migrating your analog radio network to a modern digital network, get in touch with Tait Communications to discuss a long term solution that meets your organization’s needs.

Is there a standard classification for systems as mission or business critical?

What are the criteria that determine such thing? Is DMR tier III mission critical?

ANSWER: The term “Mission” or “Business” does not change the meaning of the term “Critical.” It’s more about market designation rather than system performance and reliability.

Critical for Tait is more about the design approach we have for both the components of the system and the system as a whole.

The Tait architecture and design approach is common for both P25 Phase II and DMR Tier III Systems. Both support high availability options, and support design approaches that provides maximum resiliency and business continuity.

So from a critical communications aspect, we believe both are equally strong options. However, we also believe the interoperability of P25 is of great value to public safety customers while DMR Tier III and the ability to offer voice, location, short messaging and packet data over open interfaces is of great value to our industrialusers.

As an example, in the public safety context, the ability to dynamically link police, fire and EMS communication systems means first responders no longer have to assemble on scene, share radios and plan before engaging, they can engage right away.

Once they are on scene, the dispatchers can use location information to reduce response times and dynamically assemble response teams communications and deliver response plans while en route. In this context, valuable minutes means saved lives. The principles of interoperability apply at the organizational level, the technology level and the user level. The results are powerful, and the simplicity of integrating commonality is difficult to improve on. Mission Critical reliability is paramount to realizing the full benefits of interoperability.

In the industrial context, particularly in utilities where much of the voice dispatching of work orders have been replaced. Open standards enable the same concept of inter-operability as P-25, at the enterprise level. Even with its diminished use, utilities still require full scale land mobile radio systems for critical operations and recovery activities.

DMR Tier III‘s capabilities enable not only the traditional voice dispatch services to coordinate dangerous field operations, its inherent packet data enables work order management systems to deliver work orders to mobile compute platforms automatically, taking advantage of the Mobile IP capabilities of the DMR platform.

In addition, SCADA and other industrial control systems can take advantage of under utilized communication system resources with fixed packet data services. Likewise, the availability of location information means utilities can reduce response times by identifying and dispatching the closest qualified service technician. Together, grid operations can monitor the grid, isolate faults, dispatch the nearest service technician using location information and mobile IP data and coordinate line operations through voice dispatch that keeps workers safe and the lights on.

The predictability afforded by open standards and the business critical reliability of the Tait design approach at both a component and system level enables our DMR systems to deliver increasing operational value through enterprise and operational convergence. We see Tait solutions as essential components of the business continuity and disaster recovery capabilities our customer depend on across industries.

To get updates as our posts get published, subscribe via email below:

Email Address

]]>https://blog.taitradio.com/2016/09/22/mission-critical-vs-business-critical-communications-clarified/feed/0Selecting, Maintaining and Upgrading your Radio Hardwarehttps://blog.taitradio.com/2016/09/13/selecting-maintaining-and-upgrading-your-radio-hardware/
https://blog.taitradio.com/2016/09/13/selecting-maintaining-and-upgrading-your-radio-hardware/#respondTue, 13 Sep 2016 05:11:11 +0000https://blog.taitradio.com/?p=7067The equipment your workers use, how it is maintained, and when it is upgraded will determine the degree of communications resilience your organization has, as well as the return on your communications investment.

Buying new gear? Here’s a guide to what you need to think about to keep it working reliably, no matter what.

1) CHOOSING THE RIGHT HARDWARE
Considering high-level failure scenarios will help you determine how durable your hardware needs to be. Common hardware solutions that increase the strength of your system include back-up power sources, duplication of site equipment so that no single site failure has significant impact on your coverage or capacity, and seamless switchover during failure.

Remember that remote sites need the best equipment you can purchase, to reduce failure and minimize callouts during winter.

2) PRIORITIZING
The majority of attention and funding often gets put into low-risk system equipment, leaving crucial gear overlooked. When purchasing equipment, it’s important to keep in mind what breaks most often. These components are power, antenna systems, and backhaul.

3) REPAIRS, UPGRADES, AND CHECKSThe complex systems now in use have changed the role of system technicians. The key skills for techs are now troubleshooting, diagnosing and resolving system failure – antenna system problems, power problems, backbone issues and system configuration errors.

Repairs
Due to increasing complexity, field repairs of electronic circuit boards are largely limited to replacing basic components such as antennas, switches, and display boards. For all other issues, radios need to be returned for factory-based repairs. At system level, field repair is now limited to swapping faulty boards or even entire devices.

Upgrading hardware and softwareSoftware affects every aspect of your system, so when it comes to upgrading (or not upgrading), it is vital to consider things such as interoperability, compatibility with system components, and the impact of operating system obsolescence on your upgrade plans.

To avoid leaving your communications vulnerable or having to roll back, test software on a dummy system first. Even when all runs well, it’s wise to have a rollback plan for worst-case scenarios.

4) ROUTINE MAINTENANCEResponsibility for day-to-day maintenance must be clearly defined and adhered to. More thorough, annual maintenance checks should be scheduled more frequently as your system ages.

Microwave system checks should be done regularly. Links can be checked on site, or, alternatively, MiMo (multiple input and multiple output) linking can save on site visit costs.

Base station maintenance should include thorough examination of the receiver, transmitter and, above all, antenna system.

To test switchover functions for backhaul networks, failure conditions should be periodically simulated for backhaul networks designed for automatic switchover. Systems with appropriate environmental control can manage with annual checks, but systems working at high capacity or in difficult environments should be checked more often.

5) SCHEDULED SITE MAINTENANCE
For sites in regions with challenging weather or geography, site inspections should be scheduled more frequently. Inspections should include components such as generators, cameras, security measures and on-site spares. Back-up power is often overlooked. UPS and DC-bank batteries should be maintained to manufacturer recommendations and backup generators should be exercised periodically to ensure they start easily and run properly.

6) SUBSCRIBER EQUIPMENTWith the increase in digital radio reliability, routine tune-ups have become less common, and radios should instead be tested whenever they come in for reprogramming or repair. Remote monitoring can supplement this.

Asset management software makes it simple and quick to keep track of when radios are returned to base for regular checks. While it is more difficult to check on your mobile fleet, you can implement a program of radio maintenance alongside the vehicle maintenance schedule.

This article is taken from Connection Magazine, Issue 7. Connection is a collection of educational and thought-leading articles focusing on critical communications, wireless and radio technology.

]]>https://blog.taitradio.com/2016/09/13/selecting-maintaining-and-upgrading-your-radio-hardware/feed/0What is P25? Services and Features – Tait Radio Academyhttps://blog.taitradio.com/2016/09/07/what-is-p25-services-and-features-tait-radio-academy/
https://blog.taitradio.com/2016/09/07/what-is-p25-services-and-features-tait-radio-academy/#respondTue, 06 Sep 2016 21:56:02 +0000https://blog.taitradio.com/?p=7062Our series of Tait Radio Academy lessons on P25 continues, this time focusing on services and features. This course is taught by Andrew McTaggart, a Customer Support Engineering Specialist at Tait Communications. Prior to that, he was a product trainer on P25 digital radio communications equipment.

P25 offers a wide range of key services and features to meet the needs of public safety agencies. Some of the basic features P25 provide are:

Group voice calls

Unit-to-unit or individual calling

Emergency call priority

Talking party identification

Radio check

Inhibit/uninhibit

Call alert

Status updates

While some of these features have been available on public safety networks for many years, P25 allows easy replacement of those features without having to change basic operating practices.

In addition, P25 provides several new features to meet the evolving, changing needs of public safety agencies. These services include:

IP-data

GPS and location services

Configuration options

If you’d like to learn more about P25 and what it means for mission critical organizations, you can watch the video below or take the course on the Tait Radio Academy.

]]>https://blog.taitradio.com/2016/09/07/what-is-p25-services-and-features-tait-radio-academy/feed/0Client Story: Talquin Electric Co-op selects Tait DMR Tier 3 Solutionhttps://blog.taitradio.com/2016/08/31/client-story-talquin-electric-co-op-selects-tait-dmr-tier-3-solution/
https://blog.taitradio.com/2016/08/31/client-story-talquin-electric-co-op-selects-tait-dmr-tier-3-solution/#respondWed, 31 Aug 2016 04:51:07 +0000https://blog.taitradio.com/?p=7047Talquin Electric Cooperative, based in Quincy, Florida, was looking to replace their 30-year old narrow banded system. Their old system was no longer reliable, the channels had too much static that render them mostly underutilized.

The Cooperative covers 2,600 square miles that serves 4 counties in Northwest Florida. They work in water, waste water and electric. They need a new system that is reliable and has great coverage.

According to Dane Clemons, Director of Technology who emphasized the need for reliable communications:

“We need to be at our best when the weather is at its worst.”

With the work that the Cooperative does, they need to have different channels for their various user groups in water, waste water and electric. Not having multiple channels available was a big problem for them.

Avtec provided the consoles that integrated with the Tait system. As part of the solution, new safety features were also included such as the radio ‘man down’ and ‘lone worker’ functionality coupled with the GPS on each radio. With this safety feature set-up, dispatch would know immediately if there is a problem and where to send help.

]]>https://blog.taitradio.com/2016/08/31/client-story-talquin-electric-co-op-selects-tait-dmr-tier-3-solution/feed/0Tait supports Public Safety events in Australiahttps://blog.taitradio.com/2016/08/18/tait-supports-public-safety-events-in-australia/
https://blog.taitradio.com/2016/08/18/tait-supports-public-safety-events-in-australia/#respondThu, 18 Aug 2016 04:25:03 +0000https://blog.taitradio.com/?p=7001Sir Angus Tait, our company founder has always believed that we are here to ‘build lasting benefits for our clients and the communities in which we operate. Supporting events to group and organizations who are dedicated to ensuring safer and more resilient communities is one of the ways in which we could give something back to the community.

Throughout 2016 Tait is proud to support as sponsor the following community initiatives:

Australasian Council of Women and Policing 2016 Excellence in Policing Awards, 12 September

Another Melbourne event that Tait supports is the ACWAP awards. The awards will be presented on Monday 12 September 2016

The Awards for Excellence in Policing are an opportunity to publicly acknowledge and reward the achievements of women and men who are contributing to improving policing and law enforcement and ensuring policing services are enhanced for women in our communities.

2016 Australasian Police and Emergency Services Games, 8-15 October

Tait is a foundation partner of these biannual games along with the Australia New Zealand Police Games Federation. The event attended by emergency service workers and their families, will be held in Queensland hosted by the Queensland Police Service.

17 teams (117 rescuers) representing three countries, competed over the three challenge days across the three rescue events: Time Critical, Controlled and Entrapped scenarios

Congratulations to the winners and all competitors:

Overall winners – NZFS Geraldine

Runners Up – QFES Cairns

3rd Overall – QFES Brisbane

Best Technical Team – QFES Cairns

Best Team Leader – NZFS Geraldine

Best Medical Team – QFES Brisbane

SES Directors Shield – NSW SES Hawkesbury

Winner Entrapped Pit – QFES Cairns

Winner Controlled Pit – QFES Brisbane

Winner Time Critical Pit – QFES Cairns

Winner Trauma Challenge – BHP Billiton

Spirit of the Challenge – Hong Kong Fire Services

To get updates as our posts get published, subscribe via email below:

Email Address

]]>https://blog.taitradio.com/2016/08/18/tait-supports-public-safety-events-in-australia/feed/0Harris and Tait enters partnership on North American markethttps://blog.taitradio.com/2016/08/03/harris-and-tait-enters-partnership-on-north-american-market/
https://blog.taitradio.com/2016/08/03/harris-and-tait-enters-partnership-on-north-american-market/#respondWed, 03 Aug 2016 03:46:52 +0000https://blog.taitradio.com/?p=6986Harris Corporation and Tait Communications signed an exclusive agreement for Harris to become Tait’s exclusive distributor of P25 and DMR solutions in North America that covers 250 locations across the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico.

Chris Young, President Harris Communications Systems, says, “Together, Harris and Tait offer our customers more choices. The Tait dealers across North America represent a strong network dedicated to providing professional communications solutions. We look forward to welcoming them to the Harris dealer network and helping to build their business and solutions portfolio.”

In future, Diack says, the partnership can evolve to deliver the new radio-based technologies and applications Tait is now bringing to market. “We are seeing a broadening demand from users for greater mobile radio capability, particularly in the provision of data alongside voice and the convergence of multiple networks – Wi-Fi, cellular and land mobile radio – all seamlessly working in support of critical communications.”

]]>https://blog.taitradio.com/2016/08/03/harris-and-tait-enters-partnership-on-north-american-market/feed/0Tait partners with NEC to deliver mission critical wireless serviceshttps://blog.taitradio.com/2016/07/22/tait-partners-with-nec-to-deliver-mission-critical-wireless-services/
https://blog.taitradio.com/2016/07/22/tait-partners-with-nec-to-deliver-mission-critical-wireless-services/#respondThu, 21 Jul 2016 21:00:41 +0000https://blog.taitradio.com/?p=6971At Tait, we are always looking for partners that could add value to the critical communications solution we can offer. Partnering with NEC Australia is a logical next step as it would allow us to offer reliable and cost-effective connectivity between remote sites in mission critical emergency services networks for voice and data services without compromising availability.

Craig Clapper, Global President for Solutions and Business Development for Tait Communications has this to say:

“Microwave backhaul is at the heart of any emergency service’s network, providing connectivity between two-way radio base stations and the core network….Tait selected NEC to provide us the backhaul technology that will enable us to meet the market`s emerging needs for carrier-class mission critical wireless backhaul networks”

For NEC Australia, building relationships with providers with complementary technologies such as Tait is part of their strategy to expand their vertical presence in the Oceania region and the world.

]]>https://blog.taitradio.com/2016/07/22/tait-partners-with-nec-to-deliver-mission-critical-wireless-services/feed/0Why upgrade your radio communication platformhttps://blog.taitradio.com/2016/07/14/why-upgrade-your-radio-communication-platform/
https://blog.taitradio.com/2016/07/14/why-upgrade-your-radio-communication-platform/#respondThu, 14 Jul 2016 03:31:07 +0000https://blog.taitradio.com/?p=6964We asked a number of our customers the main issues and challenges they faced that made them want to upgrade their communications platform. Below are the results of the research. As you can see, the ‘antiquated system that need to be replaced’ at 79% ranks highest in what triggers an organisation to review and look into their communications requirements.

What about you? What are the reasons you want to upgrade your critical communications system?

]]>https://blog.taitradio.com/2016/07/14/why-upgrade-your-radio-communication-platform/feed/0Client Story: Why Madison County Fire upgraded to Tait Analog Simulcast over IP systemhttps://blog.taitradio.com/2016/07/07/client-story-why-madison-county-fire-upgraded-to-tait-analog-simulcast-over-ip-system/
https://blog.taitradio.com/2016/07/07/client-story-why-madison-county-fire-upgraded-to-tait-analog-simulcast-over-ip-system/#respondWed, 06 Jul 2016 22:57:10 +0000https://blog.taitradio.com/?p=6950Madison County Fire had issues with redundancy and coverage. Since they provide fire protection to the entire county and also manage first responder calls for Emergency Medical Services (EMS) and other organizations, their network had to be reliable. A solution has to be found.

Madison County Fire provides protection to the Tennessee county that covers 540 square miles. Part of their responsibility also included managing the first responder calls for EMS and other organizations. In the last year, they ran about 1200 calls and have received more calls each year for the last six years. Madison county has 17 fire stations with 180 personnel and 64 apparatus.

According to Matthew Gay, the Maintenance Manager for Madison County, they had a single-site conventional analog repeater and a single 300-foot tower to cover the entire county. Coverage was also an issue. They needed a system that would provide great coverage, redundancy and cost-effective.

The case study video above explains the outcome of their decision – how the system they selected made best use for taxpayer money. A solution that future proofed their needs and is expandable when they are ready.

Thanks to the Analog Simulcast overlay, if they decide to upgrade to P25, they’ll still be able to use their pagers without losing any coverage. Chief Eric Turner says,

“We can save a lot of money with this upgrade path. We’re pleased with the coverage we have with our pagers, and it’s nice to know we won’t be sacrificing that if we migrate to P25.”

If you prefer to have one of our dealers discuss with you the benefits and features of the AS-IP system, fill out the form here.

]]>https://blog.taitradio.com/2016/07/07/client-story-why-madison-county-fire-upgraded-to-tait-analog-simulcast-over-ip-system/feed/0What is the right linking solution for your organisation?https://blog.taitradio.com/2016/07/01/what-is-the-right-linking-solution-for-your-organisation/
https://blog.taitradio.com/2016/07/01/what-is-the-right-linking-solution-for-your-organisation/#respondThu, 30 Jun 2016 23:30:49 +0000https://blog.taitradio.com/?p=6939When it comes to linking solutions for your DMR or P25 network, do you find yourself asking the following questions? “What throughput is required – voice and data?” “Can I mix and match solutions for my network?” “What is the right choice now, and will this continue to be the right choice for my organisation in 10 years, 15 years, 20 years?”

There are so many linking solutions you can consider – Fiber, microwave or narrowband radio linking. Lisa van Vuuren, Sales and Marketing Coordinator at MimoMax, gives us the lowdown on what the options are, and how to come up with the right solution.

a. Fiber – Fiber is generally considered the best option for short, densely-populated paths that require reliable linking because once installed, the link is less susceptible to weather conditions and it also allows for superior transfer of information. However, the cost of repair and installation can be costly.

b. Microwave – Most microwave solutions offer a fantastic rate of information transfer, they are upgradable to support growing future needs and are significantly cheaper than fiber. However, microwave is more susceptible to weather and terrain conditions than sub-1GHz narrowband linking. Before you consider a microwave solution, you need to also know that while microwave is cheaper in terms of initial outlay and takes less time to install, ongoing maintenance costs can get expensive due to the constant requirement of realigning the antenna during significant weather events.

c. Narrowband – a narrowband linking solution is, almost without exception, the simplest to deploy and adjust due to spectral efficiency and smart technology available now.. It stands up to significant weather events that microwave can’t handle, and provides secure linking in often difficult terrain (eg. NLOS paths, across water and through foliage). Narrowband linking often proves to be the best value for money, too, and offers future proofing and growing data rates. Narrowband linking is a great way to obtain excellent performance with minimal ongoing costs options and therefore should be considered as the potential linking solution.

Across a vast network, the opportunity to mix and match linking needs makes all three options potentially viable. No two networks have the same linking requirements, and the technology choices available mean you should take the time to appropriately plan and engineer your linking to find the best solution.

Do you want to know more? Contact us and we’ll be more than happy to answer any of your queries.

Every type of radio system has different pros and cons, so it depends on what you’re comparing to P25. Therefore we have put together a list of some of the benefits of P25. These will help you compare P25, either with your existing radio system or other technologies that you are considering. To learn more about each benefit, watch the video below or visit the Benefits of P25 page of the Tait Radio Academy.

]]>https://blog.taitradio.com/2016/06/16/8-benefits-of-p25/feed/0Technology Partnering: Why it’s good for your business and your customershttps://blog.taitradio.com/2016/06/14/technology-partnering-why-its-good-for-your-business-and-your-customers/
https://blog.taitradio.com/2016/06/14/technology-partnering-why-its-good-for-your-business-and-your-customers/#respondMon, 13 Jun 2016 21:05:07 +0000https://blog.taitradio.com/?p=6906Developing any new technology is expensive and risky. Technology companies risk blowing the budget and missing the window of opportunity in the market before the first dollar is returned. Ellery Hurn, Product Manager – Partner Solutions at Tait, talks about how technology partnering is the way forward.

Under the old model, many developments were proprietary, bespoke, and focused as much on competitors as customers. New ideas were jealously guarded. Developments occurred in bunkers, then customers were convinced that this was indeed exactly what they needed to solve their problems.

That no longer works, for two reasons:

1) Electronic communications and the resulting free flow of information means that keeping your development under wraps is increasingly difficult. In fact, to quote one senior Project Manager, “The difference between confidential and public information can be measured in weeks.”

2) Every business inventing their own version of the wheel means that customers pay more, wait longer, and will most likely end up with a wheel that only fits some of their wagons.

Technology partnering is not exactly new, but it does demand some new thinking from traditional businesses. Luckily, a greater commitment to open standards in many industries sits nicely alongside the partnering model – at least from an ideological perspective. Standards mean that traditionally-minded businesses have come to accept that not every development needs to be built from the ground up.

Gary Stidham, VP of Product Management at Zetron says, “Zetron’s partnership with Tait has been a key factor in the timely testing and delivery of a number of our open-standards-based solutions, including our fully integrated CSSI and DMR radio dispatch systems. Every business inventing their own version of the wheel means that customers pay more, wait longer, and will most likely end up with a wheel that only fits some of their wagons.”

Chances are, tech partnerships are with businesses who are marketing their products in the same sector. However, no matter how closely you are aligned in your thinking, there will still be differences in perspective and context. Managed well, these represent golden learning opportunities for both partners. In fact, one partner might be able to suggest a solution that the other partner has not yet recognized or developed, for the benefit of their mutual customers.

If you are marketing to the same sector, you now have access to your partner’s contacts and customers as well. And if you are marketing to a slightly different sector currently, you have direct exposure to the new opportunities your partner brings. This is increasingly the case as organizations partner with non-traditional sector players.

Working alongside another business is likely to streamline efforts, and avoid duplication, as you will, of necessity, have greater clarity of your direct outcome. For instance, when Tait partnered with console manufacturers, the partnerships initially focused on the interfaces between the two technologies. Once that had been developed, they could focus on innovations that provided greater value. Gary Stidham from Zetron confirms, “… partnerships have improved our ability to provide features and functionality that are important to customers, such as the DMR Location Services feature that allows dispatchers to view and interact directly with resources on a map.”

When businesses align, their customers can perceive them as a single entity. Technology partners must become thoroughly familiar with each other’s products, so customers benefit from the combined support of both tech teams.

It is also important that partners recognize and accept that each partner organization has the right to expect specific benefits from the partnership, provided that they are not in conflict with the shared goals.

Of course, partnering with another business is not without its risks and complexities, and is unlikely to prove either low cost or a quick fix. It takes time. For example, the costs of supporting a wider range of technology and products may be unequal between partners and this needs to be acknowledged. The partners will need to arrive at an equitable arrangement. Other risks to successful relationships include:

the challenge of shared decision-making processes and loss of autonomy,

the time and energy commitment of key staff in partnership building and project development,

the additional overheads involved in tracking, reporting and evaluation requirements.

An organisation that recognizes the benefits of partnering can overcome these risks by following the relationship principles of equity, transparency and mutual benefit.

Like any other relationship, good technology partnerships don’t happen overnight. It takes time – and senior management commitment – to establish trust and commitment, and to be confident of shared values. Here’s how John Florenca, CEO of Omnitronics, describes his organization’s partnering strategy: “Omnitronics has always had a philosophy of building long-term relationships. A key part of our business strategy is to not only establish partnerships but to foster these partnerships for the long run. Good partnerships enable us to focus on what we do best while still providing a full solution to our customers.

“By sharing our knowledge and our technologies, we can better understand the needs of the marketplace and find superior solutions to meet those needs.”

This article is taken from Connection Magazine, Issue 7. Connection is a collection of educational and thought-leading articles focusing on critical communications, wireless and radio technology.

]]>https://blog.taitradio.com/2016/06/14/technology-partnering-why-its-good-for-your-business-and-your-customers/feed/0Modernize your Analog Network through IPhttps://blog.taitradio.com/2016/06/10/modernize-your-radio-network-through-ip/
https://blog.taitradio.com/2016/06/10/modernize-your-radio-network-through-ip/#respondFri, 10 Jun 2016 03:30:16 +0000https://blog.taitradio.com/?p=6901We have an exciting new launch video for our Analog Simulcast over IP (AS-IP) solution. Watch below to learn why and how we designed this solution, and the many benefits it can provide for our US Public Safety Customers.

Tait Analog Simulcast over IP is the perfect voice and paging over IP system. It’s cost-effective implementation, voting and simulcast integration, and fleet synchronization abilities make this the most reliable and robust AS-IP solution today.

Better yet, the Tait AS-IP hardware is capable of P25 Phase 1 and Phase 2. So, if in a few years you decide to upgrade to P25, all you need to do is update your feature licenses. This can even be done remotely. It just doesn’t get any easier.

Bruce Mazza:For more than 15 years, the Tait QS2 system has built a proven track record amongst our customers. It was intelligent, had low maintenance costs, and the simulcast network made it extremely easy for users to connect.

We recognized that, in order for our customers to continue using and enjoying our analog simulcast offering, we needed to modernize through IP. We refined the structure of the QS2 system, improved and simplified the intelligence of the system design, and created the best Analogue Simulcast over IP network available on the market today.

Neil Keller:Simulcast is spectrally efficient and ideal for organizations that need to accommodate more users on fewer channels. It also offers the peace of mind that every radio manager requires, knowing that users can roam between coverage zones with fewer dropped calls and without changing channels.

Historically, simulcast networks have been notoriously difficult to build and to sync correctly. But at Tait, we took several steps to ensure the transition to AS-IP would be as quick and painless as possible for our customers.

Iain McInnes:
One of the early decisions we made on the engineering team was to integrate the voting and site control into the TB9400 base station. We removed the need for a 3rd party voter, simplifying initial set up by reducing the equipment required for a typical analogue simulcast network. It has saved significant rack space and power consumption, and led to greater system reliability through having fewer points of failure.

Another major set up challenge with simulcast is tuning, you need every tower to be synced properly for it to work. If it isn’t tuned perfectly, then reception will be erratic. Even a microsecond of difference can ruin the signal.

Tuning an analog simulcast network used to be a real challenge, but our new transmitter design removes all tuning and equalization. Syncing the different towers happens instantly through IP connectivity and internal GPS. This results in an easier set-up, less user-training, and better audio quality.

Bruce:Flexibility is also key to a smooth migration, that’s why we’ve built the AS-IP network to accommodate pagers and any analog terminal radio. This vast flexibility of terminal fleets allows users to utilise their existing analog equipment, driving down the total cost of ownership.

Ed Wegner:You can’t talk about Tait without mentioning Tait Tough. Since AS-IP runs on the Tait Tough 9400 series, you know your hardware will be built to last. But the software is just as tough.

Our engineering team has performed thousands and thousands of automated tests to ensure our AS-IP software is world class. And we spent countless man-hours performing field trials, ensuring that Tait analog radios, as well as our competitor’s analog radios, perform reliably on our AS-IP system. All this testing gives you confidence that we have built a platform that is resilient and robust.

Neil:Our voter redundancy is unparalleled. Should a repeater fail for any reason, then voting functionality will automatically be taken over by another repeater. This is predetermined in the software by the system engineer, meaning functionality will fall back to the most robust site available.

Iain:The Voting software capabilities have also contributed to the excellent audio quality. The voter continuously assembles the best possible audio signal by combining the outputs of all receivers. This ensures that the best-received audio is constantly being selected, enabling the best transmission quality possible. When your users push to talk, they can rest assured knowing that clear audio will connect them.

Bruce:

Technology is always changing, and at Tait, we want our customers to know they’re choosing a flexible, future proof system that protects their initial investment.

Neil:That means that upgrading has never been simpler. Imagine it’s 2 or 3 years down the road, and your organization decides to upgrade to P25. You can upgrade your entire network and all 9400 terminals in your fleet to P25 remotely. All you’ll need to do is add new feature licenses. It just doesn’t get any easier.

Bruce:TaitNet AS-IP is the perfect voice and paging over IP system. Its cost effective implementation, seamless upgrade path, voting and simulcast integration, and fleet synchronisation make this solution the most reliable and robust IP-based solution available today.

We can confidently say that, not only does Tait Analog Simulcast offer the very best simulcast analog coverage and solution today, but also the best migration story to P25 available on the market.

]]>https://blog.taitradio.com/2016/06/10/modernize-your-radio-network-through-ip/feed/02016 Sky Tower Firefighter Challengehttps://blog.taitradio.com/2016/06/02/2016-sky-tower-firefighter-challenge/
https://blog.taitradio.com/2016/06/02/2016-sky-tower-firefighter-challenge/#respondThu, 02 Jun 2016 00:13:03 +0000https://blog.taitradio.com/?p=6885At Tait Communications we work alongside our customers to help them achieve great things. One recent example is The Firefighter Sky Tower Challenge, a prestigious, high profile event where firefighters climb the tower’s 1,103 stairs in full firefighting kit to raise money for Leukaemia and Blood Cancer NZ, an organization funding research, support services and advocacy.

We’ve supported the Sky Tower Challenge for a number of years through financial and in-kind support with the supply of some of our radios to help ensure everything runs smoothly. It is always an honor to be part of this event and to help raise money for Leukaemia and Blood Cancer NZ.

Standing at 1076 feet (328 meters), Auckland’s Sky Tower is not a building where many choose to take the stairs. And yet, on Saturday 28 May, around 850 firefighters did just that.

Preparing for the climb

Before taking on the stairs, climbers ran/walked around the base

As a sponsor Tait can nominate one person to participate in the Challenge in the corporate ‘Squad20’ team. Tait hosts an internal competition each year to determine who our representative will be, and this year it was none other than Damian Blogg. Below, he provided a few numbers in order to share about the experience:

1,103 – Number of stairs climbed. That is if you don’t count the additional 2 or 3 flights that we were obliged to traverse on returning to the basement level of the Sky Tower straight after the event. Some cruel and twisted individual must have taken delight in setting up this additional punishment. I can’t remember the last time I heard grown men (myself included) moaning so much about something that is, under usual circumstances, so trivial.

$1,167,950 – the amount the event raised for LBC so far. This is a fantastic result and far in excess of the stated goal, as well as the previous years’ totals which have increased significantly every year. The 2015 total was $1,036,000. The total is expected to go higher still as pledges are fulfilled. You can add to that total yourself by visiting their Donation page.

Damian’s sigh of relief upon reaching the top

$2,770 – the amount of the total raised against my name. I did hit up my family and friends; however the lion’s share came from my colleagues at Tait, including some significant donations from our international offices. Thanks to everyone! I really enjoy the strong sense of community within this company that becomes apparent when getting involved in an undertaking such as this.

12:30 – My time to climb. 3 weeks of training appears to have paid off and I am quietly pleased with this outcome even if I did not challenge either some previous Tait representatives. Job done – time to hit the couch!

I want to finish by once again passing on my grateful thanks to all of those who have supported me and more particularly given their generous donations to the LBC charity.

This firefighter is happy to cross the Finish line

]]>https://blog.taitradio.com/2016/06/02/2016-sky-tower-firefighter-challenge/feed/0Will LTE be the Death of LMR?https://blog.taitradio.com/2016/06/02/will-lte-be-the-death-of-lmr/
https://blog.taitradio.com/2016/06/02/will-lte-be-the-death-of-lmr/#respondWed, 01 Jun 2016 20:40:39 +0000https://blog.taitradio.com/?p=6850Former Tait Chief Technical Architect Geoff Peck talks LTE, LMR, and explains why “the best of both worlds” is just around the corner. To paraphrase Mark Twain, it seems the reports of the death of LMR have been greatly exaggerated.

In the past, essential mission critical communication features were only available on LMR networks. But in the near future, even public cellular systems will deliver mission critical features. If your communication system is close to the end of life, should you invest in LMR, or should you wait to see what happens in LTE?

WHAT IS LTE, WHO IS BEHIND IT, AND HOW DOES IT WORK?

LTE (Long Term Evolution) is a global cellular standard created to deliver high bandwidth mobile data using a completely redesigned core and RAN (Radio Access Network). Many smartphones have LTE already – it allows your phone to stream video, for example.

The LTE standard is controlled by 3GPP (Third Generation Partnership Project) and almost every part of the creation of these standards is open. So you can see clearly what the new standards will deliver, and even contribute to them if you wish.

3GPP doesn’t operate like the old-style standards bodies that you might be familiar with. Part of its evolutionary philosophy is a forward pipeline of new functionality which builds on already-deployed systems. They’re a bit like the Borg on Star Trek. It’s not quite “resistance is futile”, but they certainly assimilate anything of value from other standards, rather than reinvent the wheel. The content of each release is signalled well in advance, so vendors can take advantage of new features as they evolve. New LTE releases have provided significant benefits for mission critical communications.

WHAT’S THE ROLE OF CELLULAR IN MISSION CRITICAL COMMS?

Although current cellular networks and devices are designed for commercial use, for a decade or more, mission critical organizations around the world have been using cellular technology pretty much ubiquitously.

Have you ever been at a big game when you can’t access your cell network because everyone else is? Imagine what happens in an emergency! At times of peak load, even first responders can’t get onto the cellular system.

Despite the public safety community lobbying 3GPP to include features that directly support mission critical functionality, previous generations of cellular technology have not been able to adequately prioritize mission critical communications, nor deliver other essential features like Direct mode, PTT or Group mode to a level that first responders could rely on. Attempts to “bolt” these on failed.

LTE Release 12 and Release 13 offered substantial support for precisely this mission critical functionality, and Release 14 will offer more enhancements for mission critical users.. And perhaps more significantly, the core LTE network itself is being improved to the point where it can offer the resilience and robustness that mission critical needs.

WHAT ARE LTE CELLULAR STANDARDS PROMISING FOR MISSION CRITICAL NETWORKS?

Currently, LTE networks deliver really fast data, and newer ones also deliver voice, albeit without mission critical features. Releases 12 and 13 support true mission critical functionality. Release 12 is probably the biggest single standard that 3GPP has ever released, and around 70% of the new features directly benefit mission critical users one way or another.

Of course, not all of these features are there to support mission critical users. For example, the new proximity services have a wider application. Retailers can see that you are in the vicinity and send targeted ads directly to your phone: “Last time you visited us you bought this. Now we’ve got a special on these items.” Crucially though, it does a very good job of direct mode functionality – an important feature for mission critical users.

These new features are service enablers, so-called because they deliver the capability to deliver a service, rather than delivering the service itself. So in the proximity services example, the retailer – not the carrier – is creating content to attract you. The carrier provides the capability to deliver it in the right context.

Likewise other service enablers in the mission critical space: the carrier uses external sub-systems to deliver things like group mode, or MC-PTT service. These may be located within the carrier infrastructure or may be delivered through third parties. This is complex, as it must take into account access control (via tokens), billing and service control. But the result is a very flexible platform with a lot of future capability through carriers and other specialist parties.

COULD LTE CARRIERS TAKE OVER MISSION CRITICAL COMMS COMPLETELY?

Generally, mission critical users don’t like being guinea pigs. They want to see mature capability before they commit themselves. So LTE (or any other technology) systems need all the features we think of as unique to LMR, proven on commercial carrier networks before they will count as mission critical.

A prime example is LMR’s mission critical push-to-talk (PTT), which is fundamental to first responders. Cellular-based PTT has had a checkered history. Previous attempts tried to replicate the fast set up and volley times of a true mission critical system, but failed. They were “over the top” solutions, which means they just flowed data through a carrier network. The carrier didn’t distinguish it from other data types – it just saw data coming from the phone, going to another device. Making PTT work properly requires core system changes.

Skype is another example. It generally works really well, but we’ve all experienced drop outs. It’s annoying enough when you are catching up with your cousin on the other side of the world, but in a mission critical situation, drop outs can be disastrous. Yet that’s how older cellular systems are set up.

The latest LTE MC-PTT standards closely replicate LMR, and new LTE systems are designed for mission critical grade performance, with the network itself contributing to that performance. They will perform for mission critical.

I believe commercial operators will take over some aspects of critical communications but they will need to work with specialist vendors who are willing and able to deliver a complex, full suite of features and functions. The level of solution is going to need very close relationships with first responders. I see a future where carriers partner closely with specialist mission critical communications vendors, with each contributing to a real solution. This will include LMR.

WHY HAS IT TAKEN SO LONG TO REACH THIS POINT?

It’s been an interesting journey, because neither the carriers nor the standards body understood the key needs of mission critical – even 3GPP fell into this trap initially. Early attempts to deliver a mission critical, push-to-talk standard over existing cellular networks didn’t progress because they didn’t understand the mission critical community’s fundamental needs well enough. That’s all changed now, and 3GPP has created a whole new working group to address this, and to look at mission critical applications going forward. Companies like Tait are involved in these groups to ensure the real needs are clear.

WITH THESE NEW LTE FEATURES FOR CRITICAL COMMUNICATIONS, IS THERE STILL A ROLE FOR LMR?

Absolutely. Simply being able to deliver features and functionality does not deliver a viable solution. There are a couple of reasons why LMR will continue to serve mission critical needs.

1) LMR systems are already proven to meet SOPs – the way that mission critical users operate – because they’ve been developed in concert. So you’ve got a symbiosis, if you like, between the communication system that first responders use and the way they operate. They are completely interdependent at the moment, with LMR delivering precisely what these users need. That is not going to change any time soon, if only because of the huge impact that would have on those procedures and the associated training overhead.

2) Public safety networks are designed to keep populations safe – regardless of their location. Commercial cellular networks are driven by profit, so they primarily target population centers where there are more customers. Rural areas are simply not profitable. But unfortunately, accidents, incidents and emergencies are not always conveniently located in the middle of cities. If you compare cellular and LMR coverage, you’ll see that promised cellular coverage falls significantly short of what LMR systems are already covering, and first responders frequently work where there is little or no cellular coverage.

But there is no denying the impact and appeal of LTE’s really fast data services. The ideal solution for the foreseeable future will be properly integrated systems that combine the best of all available communications (LMR, LTE and WiFi) while maintaining mission critical capability.

SO WHERE IS THE LMR INDUSTRY AT RIGHT NOW, WITH THEIR LTE INTEGRATION SOLUTIONS?

Tait deployed its first LTE system in 2012 so there’s a lot of real world experience here in how to make LMR systems and LTE systems coexist. Rather than take the lowest common denominator – the minimum subset of functionality of each one – and try to glue it together, we’ve come up with ways to get the best out of both systems. So instead of having to choose between the coverage of one, or the performance of another, you get the functionality and the best features of both rolled together.

It’s important to see integration from the end user point of view, rather than that of a cellular carrier or an LMR vendor, so the technical roadmap delivers real user value in a logical way as user needs evolve. One outcome of this is seamless roaming, which allows voice calls to roam seamlessly between networks. For instance, you might start a conversation on your LMR network, and then mid call, seamlessly roam onto an LTE or WiFi network (or vice versa) as coverage changes dynamically. No aspect of the communications is lost during transition. Users no longer have to think about what sort of network they’re connected to, what device to use and whether they are in coverage. They just pick up their favourite (or job-appropriate) device and call. The device operates over whichever network is available or appropriate. It just works – which is surely the essence of mission critical communications.

To wrap up, future communication systems will require a combination of network types. One type is no longer “better” for a particular purpose or industry than another – they will both be necessary to guarantee capability and functionality. Because LTE will likely be provided by commercial carriers, mission critical users won’t need to invest large amounts in LTE-only infrastructure and resource. And they already have reliable LMR systems, which they continuously improve, augment and integrate. That integration includes the “glue” to join an upgraded LMR system to a future LTE system and even WiFi.

The bottom line is that no one should be thinking of making a choice between LMR and LTE – both are needed to deliver modern, robust and resilient critical communications. LMR systems will continue to provide value as they evolve, through closer integration with LTE.

This article is taken from Connection Magazine, Issue 7. Connection is a collection of educational and thought-leading articles focusing on critical communications, wireless and radio technology.

]]>https://blog.taitradio.com/2016/06/02/will-lte-be-the-death-of-lmr/feed/0New Course Launch: Introduction to Industrial Control Systemshttps://blog.taitradio.com/2016/05/31/new-course-launch-introduction-to-industrial-control-systems/
https://blog.taitradio.com/2016/05/31/new-course-launch-introduction-to-industrial-control-systems/#respondTue, 31 May 2016 04:15:03 +0000https://blog.taitradio.com/?p=6878Exciting news today – we have launched another course on the Tait Radio Academy! This course offers an Introduction to Industrial Control Systems. Critical Communications is no longer just about voice, the data capabilities offer great opportunities for different applications. This course explains how you can transmit SCADA over your radio network.

The course is taught by Philip Mullins, a Solutions Manager at Tait Communications. He focusses on helping organizations reduce operating expenses and optimize capital investments through the strategic use of open standards based digital mobile radio infrastructure. Philip has over 32 years of experience in a variety of roles at IBM, Texaco, Motorola and the United States Air Force. He has previously served as a member of the Global Intelligent Utility Network Coalition Telecom Working Group and participates and presents at numerous industry events including Distributech and UTC annual conferences.

The course includes 11 different videos, filled with insights from Philip into the world of Industrial Control Systems. Learn how to increase health and safety, drive up productivity, and protect your organization’s assets through the data network a DMR Tier 3 network can provide.

The course also explores different methods for transmitting SCADA information, including fiber, LTE, dial-up, and LMR. The strengths and weaknesses of each system are highlighted, enabling you to make smart business decisions when choosing the right data network.

]]>https://blog.taitradio.com/2016/05/31/new-course-launch-introduction-to-industrial-control-systems/feed/0The Everyday Hero’s Lamenthttps://blog.taitradio.com/2016/05/26/the-everyday-heros-lament/
https://blog.taitradio.com/2016/05/26/the-everyday-heros-lament/#respondThu, 26 May 2016 02:44:26 +0000https://blog.taitradio.com/?p=6859PERSPECTIVE: Here’s a light-hearted look at the serious world of communications for the police officers, utilities crews, emergency medical people, fire crews and many others who keep our civilization up and running. John Carter, Senior Design Engineer at Tait, advocates for these day-to-day heroes. He dons a virtual hard-hat/helmet/cap as he helps to develop new ways to bring them information – simply, seamlessly and without impacting on their duties

Whatever industry or sector they are involved in, these are the people who operate the core systems that hold our civilization together. Whether they are involved in law and order, emergency services, or critical infrastructure, common features of all these teams are:

they are very mobile and go wherever the problem is,

they need a lot of communication tools to do a complex job,

they’re out there when things are going wrong – often dangerously wrong.

Trust me, they know how important it is that the rest of us are safe, well, reconnected, powered-up and running ASAP. But what they really need is more understanding from those of us who are tasked with planning, designing, developing, installing, integrating, restoring and maintaining their communications.

“WE DON’T NEED ANOTHER GADGET”

These guys and gals are surrounded by technology. They can hardly move in their vehicles for all the gadgets, so the answer to their prayers is unlikely to be another gadget. But they do need something to plug those gadgets into, to feed them power and data, to make those gadgets play nice together and with the back office.

Wouldn’t it be nice if one of their existing gadgets could do that for them?

“PLEASE, NO MORE APPLICATIONS!”

Mostly, they work for large organizations and agencies that have very large, very sophisticated back office systems and business processes – often highly regulated and standardized, and always eye-wateringly costly.

So they already have applications for storing and retrieving data records, for GIS and location information, for work flows and planning systems, for projects and billing, for SAPs and tracking, and a hundred other things. They need to interact with any or all of those applications, in real time, securely and reliably, even when they run out of coverage. Even when power or communications infrastructure is down.

Because those back office systems are multimegabuck monsters, you can’t expect the back office to change to work with whatever you want to put in their vehicle. That tail isn’t going to wag that dog. You need to come up with stuff that plays nice with what the back office already has.

“WE DON’T CARE ABOUT LMR, GSM, LTE, OR ALPHABET SOUP”

These people are doing a hard enough job – and we don’t want them spending time trying to access critical information, or navigating through highly complex communications technology on top of everything else. They just need stuff that works with whatever bearer, network, channel or data pipe is available, cheapest and best. And when nothing is available? It needs to keep on working from mirrored data, saving new data and information. When a bearer becomes available again, it must quietly sync the data without any fanfare. Is that too much to ask?

WHAT CAN WE DO TO HELP THESE MOBILE “MAKE IT ALL BETTER” HEROES?

It’s actually not all that difficult, once we understand it isn’t about new applications or new hardware gadgetry. All we need is the ability and will to integrate the reliable, robust communications technology that already exists in each and every vehicle, with their back office systems.

a router with a PTT switch (This is the integration Black Box of Choice that resolves issues like “What will we plug the other gadgets into? Where will they get power and data? What will make them play nice together?),

large storage capacity in every vehicle to mirror, distribute and synchronize databases, because the work doesn’t stop when the coverage runs out,

large storage capacity to store audio and video logs.

Oh, and they would like all this to be robust, heat proof (and/or cold proof), vibration proof, secure and inside something that’s already in the vehicle when the crisis hits! Thank you.

This article is taken from Connection Magazine, Issue 7. Connection is a collection of educational and thought-leading articles focusing on critical communications, wireless and radio technology.

]]>https://blog.taitradio.com/2016/05/26/the-everyday-heros-lament/feed/0What is P25?https://blog.taitradio.com/2016/05/24/what-is-p25/
https://blog.taitradio.com/2016/05/24/what-is-p25/#respondMon, 23 May 2016 21:48:41 +0000https://blog.taitradio.com/?p=6846We have a new series of lessons coming from the Tait Radio Academy. Over the next few months, we’ll be sharing videos and topics from the Introduction to P25 course. This course is taught by Andrew McTaggart, a Customer Support Engineering Specialist at Tait Communications. Prior to that, he was a product trainer on P25 digital radio communications equipment.

Since 1935, APCO International have run a series of projects aimed at solving unique problems telecommunications professionals encounter. Project 25 concerns the development of a standard for digital radio equipment embracing the public safety-focused features of interoperability, spectrum efficiency, and cost economies.

If you’d like to learn more about Project 25 and what it means for mission critical organizations, you can watch the video below or take the course on the Tait Radio Academy.

]]>https://blog.taitradio.com/2016/05/24/what-is-p25/feed/0Connection Magazine 7 is now live!https://blog.taitradio.com/2016/05/19/connection-magazine-7-is-now-live/
https://blog.taitradio.com/2016/05/19/connection-magazine-7-is-now-live/#respondWed, 18 May 2016 23:45:19 +0000https://blog.taitradio.com/?p=6837Did you know that Tait publishes a magazine that focusses on the latest thinking in Critical Communications? Issue 7 is now live, and you can read Connection on your desktop, or get the app for iOS or android.

Here is a note from the editor of Connection, Lorraine Bonisch:

Those of you who were around during the 70s might recall the enthusiasm at the time for predicting the future. I recall that the industry identified as most deserving of investment was – along with food – communications technology. The pundits who predicted the exponential growth of communications were certainly on the money, but I wonder if even they foresaw just how connected each and every one of us would become, both personally and professionally?

Fast forward a few decades, there were those who predicted the demise of LMR. Fortunately that prediction seems unlikely to come to fruition, as Geoff Peck explains in his feature article. Geoff describes how LMR – a technology with its roots in the first half of the 20th century – remains an integral part of 21st century communications solutions, alongside new technologies like LTE.

As companies seek greater efficiencies and faster time to market, technology partnerships present some very tangible benefits in terms of development and increased market reach. Ellery Hurn, Tait Product Manager – Partnership Solutions, shares his experience.

]]>https://blog.taitradio.com/2016/05/19/connection-magazine-7-is-now-live/feed/0Tait Customer Researchhttps://blog.taitradio.com/2016/05/09/tait-and-techvalidate/
https://blog.taitradio.com/2016/05/09/tait-and-techvalidate/#respondSun, 08 May 2016 23:23:30 +0000https://blog.taitradio.com/?p=6806Tait recently partnered with TechValidate to survey our customers. One of the goals was to gain insight into why some organizations chose Tait over the competition.

The feedback we’ve received has provided great insight into our customers’ world, and will hopefully prove useful if you’re trying to decide which vendor to choose when upgrading your critical communications network.

Below are the top reasons our customers are choosing Tait over our competitors:

1) Willingness to customize your solutions and commercial terms

Many customers appreciate that Tait listens to them. We assess your needs and offer a solution that will meet them, instead of forcing you to fit inside an existing Tait box. Here is what one Fire customer had to say about their customized solution:

2) Total solution cost/price

Investing in an LMR system is a big decision and can often last for 10-15 years. You need to ensure you select a high quality system that also meets budget requirements. With Tait, you can rest assured knowing that your investment will produce many dividends for your organization.

3) Consultative approach and network transparency

Tait services start from the very beginning with network design, and continue through deployment and support. Our people will work alongside you, every step of the way, to ensure you get the right system for your needs.

4) Overall value (i.e. price vs. benefit)

Purchasing a radio system isn’t just about finding the cheapest option, you want to ensure your organization receives good value. Tait offers excellent value by providing reliable equipment that will endure, lowering total cost of ownership through exciting new applications like GridLink, and more.

5) Tait Tough – Resilient and Reliable products and solutions

6) Open standards/Multivendor compatibility

Open standards are central to Tait. We believe that open standards and multivendor compatibility creates competition, allowing our customers to get the best possible solution for the best price. It is also vital for mission critical organizations to be able to talk to neighboring agencies, and Tait open standards and multivendor compatibility enable this:

7) Other

There were many other quotes and comments from our customers. To see more responses to the survey, have a look through our content library.

Lastly, if you are a Tait customer, we’d love it if you left a comment telling us why you chose a Tait solution.

]]>https://blog.taitradio.com/2016/05/09/tait-and-techvalidate/feed/0Radio Frequency Performance Parameters – Conducted Emissionshttps://blog.taitradio.com/2016/05/03/radio-frequency-performance-parameters-conducted-emissions/
https://blog.taitradio.com/2016/05/03/radio-frequency-performance-parameters-conducted-emissions/#respondMon, 02 May 2016 22:56:29 +0000https://blog.taitradio.com/?p=6799The Conducted Emissions performance of a transmitter is basically the ratio in dB of how far down any unwanted outputs are with respect to the wanted signal at the antenna connector.

As we have seen previously, unwanted frequencies can be present on the output of the transmitter for a number of reasons. Noise on DC Power supplies is one reason, but by far the most common and strongest unwanted products are the harmonics produced by the Transmitter itself. Harmonics are simply integer multiples of the wanted frequency, and are produced because the transmitter is driven into a non-linear mode.

The most common specification for Conducted Emissions is found in the European ETS300-086 standard. Here, it is specified that any unwanted transmitter outputs shall be <-36dBm in level up to a frequency of 1GHz and <-30dBm in level from 1GHz – 12.75GHz.

Typically, because the Final stage of the transmitter is driven into it’s non-linear region, the level of the harmonics as its output may only be as little as 10dB down on the wanted signal. In the case of a Mobile radio, where the wanted output is at a level of +45dBm, this means the harmonics may be as high as +35dBm.

The role of the following low pass filter is to attenuate these harmonics such that, at the antenna, they are at a level lower than that required to meet the ETS300-086 limit. This is illustrated below:

Figure 18: Illustration of Transmitter Conducted Emissions

Note: Conducted Emissions performance of <-36dBm is typical of all Tait Portables, Mobiles and Base-Stations, although those designed purely for the USA market may only meet the lower FCC limit of <-20dBm.

Conducted Emissions is not to be confused with a similar sounding parameter, Radiated Emissions. To measure radiated emissions, the transmitter is terminated in a 50 Ohm load and the power leaking from the radio’s housing is measured by means of directional antennae.

]]>https://blog.taitradio.com/2016/05/03/radio-frequency-performance-parameters-conducted-emissions/feed/0Colored Portable Radioshttps://blog.taitradio.com/2016/04/26/coloured-portables/
https://blog.taitradio.com/2016/04/26/coloured-portables/#commentsMon, 25 Apr 2016 12:00:39 +0000https://blog.taitradio.com/?p=6772Did you know that Tait offers a large range of colored portable radios? It happens to be one of our favorite safety features. It is a simple thing, but it can provide several benefits to mission critical organizations:

1. Easy Identification
For large organizations with multiple portable fleets operating at any given time, you can help ensure users grab the correct radio for each scenario by giving them color codes. Need to connect with a specific work group? Grab the red one. Need to communicate with a unique Talk Group? Grab an orange radio. If your fleet requires multiple configurations or groups, then colors can prevent users being stranded with the wrong radio in their hands.

2. Easy to SeeSome of our customers work in dark environments, and need to be able to locate their radio with ease. In many situations, finding a high-vis green radio can be much easier than finding a black radio. In mission critical situations, your users don’t want to waste time looking for a radio they can’t see.

3. Intrinsically SafeMany customers require Intrinsically Safe radios, but only in certain locations. For instance, one organization might have 30% Intrinsically Safe radios, while the other 70% are not IS. If you are going into an area that requires an IS radio, having a special color (like blue) for your IS radios will help ensure you always grab the correct radio.

Tait radios are available in black, red, orange, yellow, high-visibility green, and Intrinsically Safe blue. The 9400 series is available in P25 Phase 2, P25 Phase 1, and AS-IP. The 9300 series is available in DMR Tier 3, DMR Tier 2, MPT 1327, and Analog Conventional. You can see the full 360 degree view of them in these two videos.

]]>https://blog.taitradio.com/2016/04/26/coloured-portables/feed/1Call Types and Features – Voice Callshttps://blog.taitradio.com/2016/04/21/call-types-and-features-voice-calls/
https://blog.taitradio.com/2016/04/21/call-types-and-features-voice-calls/#respondWed, 20 Apr 2016 23:00:02 +0000https://blog.taitradio.com/?p=6726The last lesson of the Introduction to DMR Radio Academy course is Call Types and Features. This lesson consists of four topics that identify the different DMR call types and each of their features.

Trunked radio systems enable radio users to make two main types of calls on a DMR system; the first main type of call is Voice Calls.

There are many types of voice calls including individual calls, talk groups calls, and telephone and gateway calls. If you would like to learn more about these calls and how they work, watch the video below and read the accompanying Voice Calls lesson. You can also take the full Introduction to DMR on the Tait Radio Academy.

]]>https://blog.taitradio.com/2016/04/21/call-types-and-features-voice-calls/feed/0Radio Frequency Performance Parameters – Transmitter Noisehttps://blog.taitradio.com/2016/04/15/radio-frequency-performance-parameters-transmitter-noise/
https://blog.taitradio.com/2016/04/15/radio-frequency-performance-parameters-transmitter-noise/#respondThu, 14 Apr 2016 20:40:00 +0000https://blog.taitradio.com/?p=6676As discussed in our previous blog post, the Transient Adjacent Channel Power (TACP) is simply an extension of the ratio of the energy produced in the wanted and adjacent channels when the Transmitter is keyed up or down. In reality, the unwanted energy produced by the Transmitter doesn’t just spread into the adjacent channel, it also spreads out far beyond that point. Tx Noise, therefore, is a measure of the unwanted transmitted energy at some specified offset from the wanted frequency.

Eventually, as we go further and further away from the carrier, the Tx Noise will bottom out at a value after which no improvement is seen. This is known as the Tx Noise Floor. This is illustrated below:

Tx Noise is usually quoted as a discrete level in dBm/Hz or a level relative to the carrier level, dBc/Hz.

Generally, the Tx Noise floor beyond the Adjacent Channel is only measured for Base-Station transmitters for reasons that will become apparent later.

]]>https://blog.taitradio.com/2016/04/15/radio-frequency-performance-parameters-transmitter-noise/feed/0Introduction to Intrinsically Safe Radios launches on the Tait Radio Academyhttps://blog.taitradio.com/2016/04/07/introduction-to-intrinsically-safe-radios-launches-on-the-tait-radio-academy/
https://blog.taitradio.com/2016/04/07/introduction-to-intrinsically-safe-radios-launches-on-the-tait-radio-academy/#respondWed, 06 Apr 2016 20:43:58 +0000https://blog.taitradio.com/?p=6712Great news everyone! The Tait Radio Academy has launched another new course: Introduction to Intrinsically Safe Radios.

A number of different standards worldwide help guide manufacturers, purchasers and users in the design, manufacture, selection and operation of IS radios. This course will help you to interpret these standards, based on their location in the world, and the environment under which the IS radios will be used.

The course contains 7 different videos, all taught by Stuart Colsell, a Senior Systems Engineer at Tait Communications. Like our other courses, there is a quiz for registered users at the end of the course so you can test your knowledge.

Important: This course does not enable you to assess hazardous locations. Area classification must only be performed by authorized personnel who are qualified to make that assessment.

The course will, however, help you understand what the different ratings mean, introduce the different global regulations, and increase your understanding of Intrinsically Safe communications.

]]>https://blog.taitradio.com/2016/04/07/introduction-to-intrinsically-safe-radios-launches-on-the-tait-radio-academy/feed/0Intrinsically Safe (IS) DMR and P25 Tait portable radios – TP9361 and TP9461https://blog.taitradio.com/2016/03/31/intrinsically-safe-is-dmr-and-p25-tait-portable-radios-tp9361-and-tp9461/
https://blog.taitradio.com/2016/03/31/intrinsically-safe-is-dmr-and-p25-tait-portable-radios-tp9361-and-tp9461/#respondThu, 31 Mar 2016 00:48:17 +0000https://blog.taitradio.com/?p=6682Previously on this blog, we have discussed what Intrinsically Safe radios are and how they work.

This week, we present two new Intrinsically Safe portables by Tait, the TP9361 and TP9461, designed for maximum safety in the field and enhanced usability. These portables are engineered to operate safely in hazardous environments, ensuring your people have communications they can depend on while they get the job done.

Key Features of TP9361 – Intrinsically Safe DMR Portable

Intrinsically Safe portable designed to meet stringent International safety standards

]]>https://blog.taitradio.com/2016/03/31/intrinsically-safe-is-dmr-and-p25-tait-portable-radios-tp9361-and-tp9461/feed/0Channel Configuration and Numbering | Tait Radio Academyhttps://blog.taitradio.com/2016/03/29/channel-configuration-and-numbering-tait-radio-academy/
https://blog.taitradio.com/2016/03/29/channel-configuration-and-numbering-tait-radio-academy/#respondTue, 29 Mar 2016 00:20:11 +0000https://blog.taitradio.com/?p=6669Do you know the function of channel rotation? What happens when a call won’t stay on a particular channel? If you are having trouble answering these questions, it might be time to brush up on your Channel Configuration knowledge.

Channel rotation is key in avoiding the situation where a channel may have problems and a call won’t stay on a channel. The lesson Channel Configuration and Numbering explains channel rotation and channel pooling, a feature that allows the same frequencies to be used on multiple sites.

]]>https://blog.taitradio.com/2016/03/29/channel-configuration-and-numbering-tait-radio-academy/feed/0Radio Frequency Performance Parameters – Transient Adjacent Channel Power (TACP)https://blog.taitradio.com/2016/03/24/radio-frequency-performance-parameters-transient-adjacent-channel-power-tacp/
https://blog.taitradio.com/2016/03/24/radio-frequency-performance-parameters-transient-adjacent-channel-power-tacp/#respondWed, 23 Mar 2016 22:03:45 +0000https://blog.taitradio.com/?p=6660Adjacent Channel Power (ACP) is basically the ratio of the energy produced in the wanted and adjacent channels when the Transmitter is in steady state mode. Transient Adjacent Channel Power (TACP) is simply an extension of this, being the ratio of the energy produced in the wanted and adjacent channels when the Transmitter is keyed up or down. Transient ACP is measured in the frequency domain. A related parameter “Transient Behaviour” is measured in the time domain.

When the transmitter is keyed up or down (in other words, the user presses the radios PTT key to talk, or releases the key at the end of the conversation), there are other factors that come in to play that can (and do) momentarily increase the amount of unwanted power produced in the Adjacent Channels. For example, the transmit oscillator may see a change of load as all the following transmitter stages are powered up (they are switched off in Receive mode in the case of Portables and Mobiles). This change of load may have the effect of briefly knocking the oscillator off frequency, thus spreading more power into either the upper or lower adjacent channel. Similarly, when the transmitter stages are powered up, the power supplies see a rapid change in loading and thus the dc voltages may bounce slightly, superimposing noise directly onto the output of the transmitter stages.

It follows then that the Transient ACP performance is always worse than the steady state Adjacent Channel performance.

]]>https://blog.taitradio.com/2016/03/24/radio-frequency-performance-parameters-transient-adjacent-channel-power-tacp/feed/0Channel Operation | Tait Radio Academyhttps://blog.taitradio.com/2016/03/22/channel-operation-tait-radio-academy/
https://blog.taitradio.com/2016/03/22/channel-operation-tait-radio-academy/#respondTue, 22 Mar 2016 00:24:20 +0000https://blog.taitradio.com/?p=6653Did you know that the number of a channel indicates the position of the physical channel at the site? The lesson Channel Operation can give you better insight into how individual channels operate at a site.

Learning how channels operate at a site is important into understanding what happens when failures occur. This lesson will explain the role of each channel and the major functions of a control channel.

]]>https://blog.taitradio.com/2016/03/22/channel-operation-tait-radio-academy/feed/0Radio Frequency Performance Parameters – Adjacent Channel Power (ACP)https://blog.taitradio.com/2016/03/17/radio-frequency-performance-parameters-adjacent-channel-power-acp/
https://blog.taitradio.com/2016/03/17/radio-frequency-performance-parameters-adjacent-channel-power-acp/#respondThu, 17 Mar 2016 00:59:55 +0000https://blog.taitradio.com/?p=6644Before explaining Adjacent channel power, it is necessary to make mention of Electrical Noise. This subject will be covered more deeply later, but for now understand simply that noise, as it relates to communications systems, is defined as an unwanted random fluctuation in an electrical signal.

As we have seen previously, the Tx signal is produced by a locked oscillator within the Synthesizer. However, the output produced by such oscillators is not totally “clean.” That is to say that it does not just contain energy at the wanted frequency (the ideal case), it also contains some lower amounts of energy (i.e: noise) at unwanted frequencies too (the real case).

Illustration of Oscillator Noise

The Adjacent Channel Power of a Transmitter then, is simply a ratio of the power transmitted in the wanted channel to the power un-intentionally transmitted in the neighbouring channel, i.e:

Illustration of Transmitter ACP

Transmitter Adjacent Channel Power is measured in dBc. All this means is the ratio of the power in the adjacent channel relative to the wanted carrier.

In reality, there are other sources of noise apart from the oscillators. For example, the power supplies for the oscillators and Pre-Driver, Driver & Final stages ay contain noise that is superimposed directly on the output signal. The higher power Transmitter stages like the Final may also produce noticeable noise outputs of their own too.

Note: That for the ACP parameter, the carrier is not modulated so the power in the adjacent channel largely consists of noise. A related parameter exists, known as Sideband Spectrum, which measures the power in the adjacent channel relative to the wanted in the presence of modulation. In that instance, the power in the adjacent channel consists not just of noise but of modulation artifacts too.

]]>https://blog.taitradio.com/2016/03/17/radio-frequency-performance-parameters-adjacent-channel-power-acp/feed/0Physical and Logical Channels | Tait Radio Academyhttps://blog.taitradio.com/2016/03/15/physical-and-logical-channels-tait-radio-academy/
https://blog.taitradio.com/2016/03/15/physical-and-logical-channels-tait-radio-academy/#respondMon, 14 Mar 2016 22:26:44 +0000https://blog.taitradio.com/?p=6640The next topic in the Introduction to DMR Radio Academy course is Channel Operation and Configuration.

In the lesson Physical and Logical Channels, Noel Farrelly describes the two kinds of channels that are included in a DMR system and how they function.

By the end of the lesson, you will have in-depth knowledge of Physical and Logical Channels, be able to name and describe the two channels, how they work within the network, and what options exist for how channels can be set up. The lesson will also explain how each channel can be categorized into control channels and traffic channels.

]]>https://blog.taitradio.com/2016/03/15/physical-and-logical-channels-tait-radio-academy/feed/0Radio Frequency Performance Parameters – Frequency Stabilityhttps://blog.taitradio.com/2016/03/10/radio-frequency-performance-parameters-frequency-stability/
https://blog.taitradio.com/2016/03/10/radio-frequency-performance-parameters-frequency-stability/#respondWed, 09 Mar 2016 22:28:11 +0000https://blog.taitradio.com/?p=6624The Frequency Stability of a Transmitter is a measure of how close the actual frequency transmitted is to the wanted.

Frequency Stability is directly determined by the Crystal Oscillator, as all frequencies produced in the Synthesizer are locked to this reference. Frequency Stability is generally quoted in Parts per Million (ppm) but can sometimes be quoted as a discrete number of Hertz (Hz). The difference between the wanted frequency and that actually produced is known as the Frequency Error or Frequency Drift.

This error or drift would manifest in all the other oscillators within the Synthesizer that are locked to this reference, and the actual frequencies produced would be:

As can be seen, the actual Tx Drive frequency is 800Hz higher than the desired 400MHz. This may not sound much, but when we consider that the bandwidth of the Receiver picking up this signal may only be 7.5kHz for a NB signal, we can see that the frequency error is significant.

Note: A similar error may exist in the Receiver, so if you happened to be unlucky, you could end up with double this error in practice.

The main cause of Frequency Drift is the ambient temperature inside the radio, which can depart from the outside temperature rapidly when the radio is transmitting. Most Tait radios are designed to operate within the ambient temperature range -30 to +60degC. However at +60degC ambient, the radio’s internal temperature may be much higher (eg: +85degC) and it is important the Crystal Oscillator is designed to cope with this.

]]>https://blog.taitradio.com/2016/03/10/radio-frequency-performance-parameters-frequency-stability/feed/0Tait Customers Around The Worldhttps://blog.taitradio.com/2016/03/08/tait-customers-around-the-world/
https://blog.taitradio.com/2016/03/08/tait-customers-around-the-world/#respondMon, 07 Mar 2016 21:55:27 +0000https://blog.taitradio.com/?p=6617Tait has over 47 years experience in designing, manufacturing, installing, and servicing critical communications. In that time, we’ve worked with customers of all shapes in sizes around the globe.

Many of these customers have shared their story on the Tait Clients page. You can view all of these stories yourself and filter by location, industry, or technology.

You may not have time to peruse our extensive list of case studies, however. If you just want a quick overview of who we are and who we serve, then you’ll love this new video:

It briefly introduces Tait as a company, with references to eight different customers in four different industries, and it only takes 2 minutes.

If your business needs a critical communication solution, then talk with us today and see why customers around the globe, of all shapes and sizes, are choosing Tait.

]]>https://blog.taitradio.com/2016/03/08/tait-customers-around-the-world/feed/0Zetron Partners with Tait Communications to offer DMR Tier III Location Services Solutionhttps://blog.taitradio.com/2016/03/04/zetron-partners-with-tait-communications-to-offer-dmr-tier-iii-location-services-solution/
https://blog.taitradio.com/2016/03/04/zetron-partners-with-tait-communications-to-offer-dmr-tier-iii-location-services-solution/#respondThu, 03 Mar 2016 23:00:03 +0000https://blog.taitradio.com/?p=6594Zetron recently worked with Tait Communications to develop a DMR Tier III Location Services solution that enables tracking of radio resources in the field. It greatly improves the ease and agility with which users can track their vehicles and workforce during dispatch scenarios.

Zetron, a leading provider of mission-critical communications solutions worldwide, has partnered with Tait Communications to develop a Digital Mobile Radio (DMR) Tier III-based Location Services solution. Its seamless integration with Zetron’s MAX Dispatch system allows users to track their vehicles and workforce through their radio communications network and MAX Dispatch. This greatly improves their situational awareness and reduces response times.

The combined solution offers a range of enriched features and functionality. The MAX Dispatch user interface utilizes the Location Services solution to display a built-in, single-layer map that supports map data from Bing, Open Street, or ArcGIS Online. It also offers road and aerial views, depending on the map data used. Resources with GPS-equipped DMR mobile or portable radios can appear on the map as icons. Additional information that can be displayed includes indications of incoming Individual Calls and Emergency Alerts, and Location Data Accuracy.

The solution also improves dispatchers’ ability to monitor and manage events. They can simply click a mapped resource to answer an incoming call or initiate an outgoing individual call. A “bread-crumb” feature that uses recent past location data allows dispatchers to view where a resource has been.

“Zetron’s strong partnership with Tait adds a powerful feature set to the MAX product line,” said Zetron’s V.P. of Product Management, Gary Stidham. “A dispatcher’s ability to view and interact with resources on a map is a critical function of control-room operations. There’s no question that this will improve situational awareness and effectiveness.”

Paul Daigneault, Chief Operating Officer at Tait Communications said, “Solutions that add value to our customers’ LMR network are integral to what we do. Developing these with our long-standing partners like Zetron allows us to offer added benefits to help organizations improve their operations.”

]]>https://blog.taitradio.com/2016/03/04/zetron-partners-with-tait-communications-to-offer-dmr-tier-iii-location-services-solution/feed/0DMR Network Management | Tait Radio Academyhttps://blog.taitradio.com/2016/03/01/dmr-network-management-tait-radio-academy/
https://blog.taitradio.com/2016/03/01/dmr-network-management-tait-radio-academy/#respondMon, 29 Feb 2016 22:32:32 +0000https://blog.taitradio.com/?p=6570Do you know how many network administrators can access a DMR network at one time? Are you able to identify the tasks a network manager is able to carry out with the web user interface?

There are a number of configuration, monitoring and reporting tools that provide effective network management on the DMR radio network. These tools enable network managers to perform a number of tasks.

]]>https://blog.taitradio.com/2016/03/01/dmr-network-management-tait-radio-academy/feed/0Telephone Gateways | Tait Radio Academyhttps://blog.taitradio.com/2016/02/25/telephone-gateways-tait-radio-academy/
https://blog.taitradio.com/2016/02/25/telephone-gateways-tait-radio-academy/#respondWed, 24 Feb 2016 22:53:24 +0000https://blog.taitradio.com/?p=6565If a network gateway allows a single audio channel to connect to the DMR network, what is the function of a telephone gateway?

As the name would suggest, a telephone gateway is the interface that enables radio users and telephone users to communicate with each other. The DMR network utilizing a Network Gateway can support direct communications between users on DMR and telephone users.

If you weren’t sure how to answer this question, the video below and the lesson DMR Network Architecture: Telephone Gateways can give you an understanding of how telephone gateways work and how they interact with the DMR network gateway.

]]>https://blog.taitradio.com/2016/02/25/telephone-gateways-tait-radio-academy/feed/0RF Performance Advantage with Tait – Part 3https://blog.taitradio.com/2016/02/16/rf-performance-advantage-with-tait-part-3/
https://blog.taitradio.com/2016/02/16/rf-performance-advantage-with-tait-part-3/#respondMon, 15 Feb 2016 22:38:56 +0000https://blog.taitradio.com/?p=6542We’re at the end of a 3 part series on RF Performance with Ian Graham, Principal Engineer for the Systems Engineering group. In the first video, Ian defined the different specifications for RF Performance. In the second video, he discussed RF performance for Transmitters.

In this final video, Ian defines the specifications of receivers. Ian delves into the desired performance aspects, regulations, and system costs. Ian also talks about the benefits a customer will receive by choosing a system that supports better RF performance, and how to identify that performance in a specification sheet.

Tait works hard to create excellent receivers for our customers. Ian explains how this means increased clarity, better coverage, and a lower total cost of ownership.

Evan: Okay, so that’s the specifications around the transmitter. Let’s talk about some of the key RF specifications for the receiver and how they’re measured.

Ian: All right, same as the transmitter really. Performance specifications for a receiver are separated into the desired and the undesired aspects. Basically what is the minimum signal that can be received and the information still be extracted understandably versus what other signals can be received at the same time without interfering with the reception of the desired signal? So sensitivity is our first spec for the receiver. That’s the sort of the desired performance. It’s the minimum received RF signal level that results in an understandable audio output quality. It’s usually quoted in dBm, and the smaller number is best, -120dBm, for example, is better than -115dBm.

There are two types of sensitivity measurement and you need to know the difference between them. Static sensitivity is the test measurement simply to prove compliance against ETSI or FCC regulations. Dynamic sensitivity is probably the more important one, which is the minimum received signal level actually required in a real system under real conditions. Better sensitivity performance reduces system cost because it just means greater coverage and therefore a smaller number of sites.

Evan: So again, like you said, there are wanted ones and unwanted ones. So let’s talk about the unwanted ones.

Ian: The first of these is the adjacent channel selectivity. That basically is a measure of how much stronger a signal in the neighboring channel can be compared to the weak signal in the desired channel before it starts to degrade the communication performance. Selectivity is usually quoted in dB. A larger number is best, so 90 dB selectivity performance is better, for example, than 75 dB. So a receiver with better adjacent channel selectivity will allow a radio operating on an adjacent channel to get closer to the site again before it starts to suffer interference. In short, receivers with better adjacent channel selectivity will contribute to a more reliable robust system. The selectivity of a receiver is also very closely related to the adjacent channel power output from a transmitter.

Evan: Okay. So the next specification is inter-modulation. Could you explain that one for us?

Ian: Yup. When you get many strong interfering signals, which is probably the more normal case, you don’t just get one as per the selectivity measurement. There are often several strong interfering signals, and quite often depending on their frequencies, they can actually mix and produce inter-modulation products that swamp the weak wanted signals you’re trying pick up. So the inter-modulation performance of a receiver just really is an indication of how much stronger the unwanted signals can be before they will degrade the communication performance.

Again it’s usually quoted in dB. A larger number is best, so 85 dB, for example, is better than 65 dB. At fixed sites, so strong signals from co-located transmitters can produce inter-modulation products at levels that can deafen site deceivers. What that means is is distant terminals, some mobiles and portables out in the field, will be unable to reach the site and therefore wouldn’t be able to communicate. Large costly cavity filters can protect against this. So base station receivers with better inter-modulation performance reduces the quantity, size, and cost of those external filters that are required.

Evan: So now that we’ve talked about what the different RF performance specifications mean, hopefully this will help you as you compare different specification sheets from Tait or our competitors to see which one has the advantage in particular situations.

So last question, Ian, what are the benefits for a customer if they choose a system with better RF performance? So not just, well you’ll get better RF performance, but how does it actually benefit the users and the managers working on this system?

Ian: The really key point here is that radios with better RF performance like Tait are often more expensive to buy than their lower performing counterparts. But buying the more expensive, better performing radio equipment with better performance specs actually results in a lower overall system cost. Because better base station and terminal RF performance means less sites are required and the sites are the major cost in building the system. But base station RF performance means less complex third party combining equipment is needed and so it further reduces the costs. In other words, less third party equipment on the sites.

Better terminal and mobile RF performance means terminals will carry on working further away from the site. So in some way having better performing RF equipment will mean less sites are needed to actually cover the area. You will need less equipment on those sites to actually make it all work and not interfere with other co-located systems and you’ll get improved reliability from the system.

Evan: Okay. Well, thank you very much, Ian. Hopefully that was helpful for you guys and now you understand a bit better the RF performance advantage that Tait can offer you.

]]>https://blog.taitradio.com/2016/02/16/rf-performance-advantage-with-tait-part-3/feed/0DMR Network Gateways | Tait Radio Academyhttps://blog.taitradio.com/2016/02/12/dmr-network-gateways-tait-radio-academy/
https://blog.taitradio.com/2016/02/12/dmr-network-gateways-tait-radio-academy/#respondThu, 11 Feb 2016 21:34:17 +0000https://blog.taitradio.com/?p=6530A network gateway is a simple device, but the function of this device might need some explanation if you are not familiar with how the gateway works.

The lesson DMR Network Architecture: Network Gateways gives you an overview of how a network gateway works, function and features, and how the network gateway can be used to control the link between a conventional set of base stations and the DMR network.

By the end of the lesson, you will be able to identify the function of a network gateway, and also understand the interfacing between network gateways and Line Dispatch Terminals.

]]>https://blog.taitradio.com/2016/02/12/dmr-network-gateways-tait-radio-academy/feed/0RF Performance Advantage with Tait – Part 2https://blog.taitradio.com/2016/02/09/rf-performance-advantage-with-tait-part-2/
https://blog.taitradio.com/2016/02/09/rf-performance-advantage-with-tait-part-2/#respondMon, 08 Feb 2016 22:23:40 +0000https://blog.taitradio.com/?p=6520We’re in the middle of a 3 part series on RF Performance with Ian Graham, Principal Engineer for the Systems Engineering group. In the first video, Ian defined the different specifications for RF Performance, such as reliability vs cost, the minimum acceptable performance by the regulatory authorities, and how Tait exceeds these levels of performance.

Today we’ve got video two of the series, where Ian explains the key RF specifications for transmitters. In this video, Ian delves into adjacent channel power and how sideband noise can affect neighboring receivers, preventing distant site communication.

Ian also explains how you can recognize a good transmitter from a bad one by the specifications, and the numbers that demonstrate why Tait is excellent in this area.

Evan: All right, so thanks, Ian, now we’ll talk about some of the key RF specifications for the transmitter and how they’re measured. Sound good?

Ian: Fine, no problems. So performance specifications for a transmitter are just separated into desired and undesired aspects. So in other words, what comes out at the desired frequency versus what else comes out that you really wish didn’t. The major desired specification obviously for a transmitter is the actual output power and the frequency that you want. That’s what’s really conveying the information. So this is the level of RF power you have transmitted at the desired frequency, usually measured in Watts although sometimes dBm. Tait Base stations, mobiles and portables are designed to transmit particular levels of RF power. A higher number is better, generally the more power generated the further away the signal can be picked up by the receiver.

But typical output power levels of Tait radios, say for base stations, it’ll 50 Watts or 100 Watts and then for the terminals, mobiles, the standard was 25 Watts and more recently, we’ve done higher power ones of 40 Watts, 50 Watts and for a portable, it can be anywhere between 3 and 5 Watts depending on the band.

Evan: So if my knowledge is right, that means that the base station can transmit a lot further than a mobile, and a mobile can transmit a lot further than a portable, correct?

Ian: That’s the idea, yes.

Evan: So you talked about, this is obviously something that is desired, what are some of the undesired things that come along with them?

Ian: Radio transmitters always emit smaller amounts of energy at frequencies other than the desired one. So if you start thinking of where some of the energy is, some of the energy that’s emitted is in the adjacent channel. So the channel right next door to the one you’re actually transmitting on. Transmitters produce small amounts of RF power outside the channel they’re operating on. The amount of RF power produced in the neighboring channel is called adjacent channel power. So it’s usually quoted in dBc, which simply means, dBs below the power generated under the wanted channel. For that, a larger number is best, so 65 dBc is better than 60 dBc for example. And a transmitter with lower adjacent channel power will allow a radio operating on an adjacent channel to get closer to the site before it causes interference. In short, transmitters that produce lower adjacent channel power contribute to a more reliable robust system.

Evan: Okay, so talk to me about sideband or wideband noise Ian, what’s that about?

Ian: Okay, well if you look further out on the adjacent channel, transmitters continue to produce small amounts of RF power well beyond the adjacent channel. Sideband noise is actually the power produced by the transmitter at large offsets from the operating frequency. It’s usually quoted in dBc per Hertz for specific frequency offsets, and again, a lower number is better. -160 dBc per Hertz, which is roughly what a Tait base station will achieve, is better than -150 dBc per Hertz for example.

So at a radio site, sideband noise from co-located transmitters can actually deafen the receivers operating nearby, even though they’re quite widely separated in frequency. So that means distant terminals would be unable to reach the site preventing communication. Site transmitters with better sideband noise performance require the addition of fewer expensive large cavity filters to attenuate the noise below the level of where it would deafen the neighboring receivers. So that results in better coverage and less sites required to cover the area and reduces the system size and cost.

Evan: Okay, well next we’ll take a look at the receiver’s RF Performance Advantage.

]]>https://blog.taitradio.com/2016/02/09/rf-performance-advantage-with-tait-part-2/feed/0Tait Radios keep the Christchurch marathon on trackhttps://blog.taitradio.com/2016/02/04/tait-radios-keep-the-christchurch-marathon-on-track/
https://blog.taitradio.com/2016/02/04/tait-radios-keep-the-christchurch-marathon-on-track/#respondWed, 03 Feb 2016 21:52:30 +0000https://blog.taitradio.com/?p=6510Inspired by the 1974 Commonwealth Games Marathon, the Christchurch Marathon, established in 1981, had been a highlight on the South Island calendar for more than 30 years. However, when a devastating earthquake struck the city in 2011, the marathon was a part of city life that seemed lost for good.

In order to get the popular event back on its feet, organizers called on local firm Outback Communications to ensure the experience and equipment was available to keep communications for the sprawling event coming through loud and clear.

As communications provider, the challenges for Outback director, Corey Weir, was to ensure communications between marshals, race control, and the assorted lead/following vehicles employed around the course, as well as providing radios that were interoperable with St John Emergency Services’ private network, in the event of an emergency.

The streets of Christchurch also provided a challenge, as the four-year post-quake streets still had plenty of congestion points, diversions, and difficult surfaces. In order to provide the robust network the event would need, Outback Communications rented Tait Communications products.

The network allowed marshals and race controller, Dave Watson, to remain linked and in communication range of each other at the start and finish line, while the interoperable Tait radios could tune into the St Johns Emergency network. The excellent battery life of the portables along with the headsets that they were equipped with proved invaluable in delivering clearer voice communications.

This was also the first time organizers tagged some runners and key mobile marshals with Crosswire GPS tags. The personal tracking system gave organizers a clear picture of how the race was progressing, and allowed spectators to log in and see where specific runners were positioned in the race.

Locals and runners welcomed the marathon’s return to the central city, with a surge in numbers and huge support from spectator crowds around the accessible course. A key part of the marathon’s successful re-birth was the smooth operation and the “runner friendly” approach of management and volunteers involved in operating the big event.

Watson said of Outback Communications, “We have found every year the communications gets better and better.”

Read the case study to learn about the full solution provided by Outback Communications.

]]>https://blog.taitradio.com/2016/02/04/tait-radios-keep-the-christchurch-marathon-on-track/feed/0RF Performance Advantage with Tait – Part 1https://blog.taitradio.com/2016/02/02/rf-performance-advantage-with-tait-part-1/
https://blog.taitradio.com/2016/02/02/rf-performance-advantage-with-tait-part-1/#respondMon, 01 Feb 2016 21:15:35 +0000https://blog.taitradio.com/?p=6499One of the great advantages of choosing Tait is our RF Performance. We pride ourselves in both transmitting and receiving technology, and this series will look at the technical data that demonstrates why.

We recently interviewed Ian Graham, Principal Engineer for the Systems Engineering group, about RF Performance. The results of the interview were three videos which will be shared here over the next few weeks. At the end of the series, you should be able to look at specification sheets for different products and determine for yourself which one has an RF performance advantage.

Evan: Hi everyone, I’m here with Ian Graham, one of our principal engineers. And today we’re going to be talking about the RF performance advantage that you get when you choose Tait.

So to get us started, Ian, could just explain what RF performance is?

Ian: Yeah, no problem Evan. So if you just start by maybe…just explain what RF is to begin with.

If you start thinking of, say, a simple telephone, where two users are connected by a piece of wire, you have a direct electrical current flows between the microphone at one end and the speaker at the other end. And the strength of that current is varied in sympathy with the speech vibrations that the microphone picks up. And obviously if take the wire away for wireless communication, that won’t work.

So instead, what you do is apply a very high-frequency alternating electrical current to an antenna, basically a conducting rod. And that generates an electromagnetic field that weakens with distance, but you can pick it up a long way away. The strength or frequency of that field is varied in sympathy with the applied speech to convey the information.

So in any radio communication system, there will be a transmitter that super imposes the information to be sent on to the RF carrier wave and sends the information, then a receiver which picks up the minute remnant of that transmitted electromagnetic field and it extracts the information that was sent.

Evan: Okay so that basically describes RF performance. So to describe how well the transmitter and the receiver carry out these roles, you know, I see a lot performance specifications on data sheets. Would you mind just explaining what some of those mean before we get into the actual specifications?

Ian: Yeah, absolutely. So if we look at some of those performance specifications, understand what they mean, and then look at their effects on a radio system, a real radio system in ways that are important to public safety or mission-critical clients, things like coverage, reliability, and cost.

So the RF performance of all base station, mobile or portable radios is quantified by a set of specifications usually given in dBs, decibels. One set of performance specifications describes the transmitter performance, and there’s a second set that describes the receiver performance. For some of the performance specifications, it can get confusing because a larger number is better for some, and a smaller number is better for others.

Evan: Okay kind of like golf or tennis. Yeah, gotcha.

Ian: So there are minimum acceptable performance specifications prescribed by regulatory authorities in the countries to which we sell, so like ETSI in Europe and the FCC in the USA.

Evan: Okay.

Ian: So meeting those levels of performance is mandatory. But Tait often exceeds those, and that gives some important benefits in terms of system cost and reliability.

Some of our RF performance specifications are more important than others to the real-life operation of the radio system. So this video series will explain what the most important RF specifications are, and whether a smaller or larger number is best, and why these give real-life benefits, such as lower system cost and improved reliability.

Evan: Okay, great. So now we’ll take a look at RF specifications around the transmitter.

]]>https://blog.taitradio.com/2016/02/02/rf-performance-advantage-with-tait-part-1/feed/0[Whitepaper] Communicating in the Digital Oilfield – Part 2https://blog.taitradio.com/2016/01/28/whitepaper-communicating-in-the-digital-oilfield-part-2/
https://blog.taitradio.com/2016/01/28/whitepaper-communicating-in-the-digital-oilfield-part-2/#respondWed, 27 Jan 2016 20:55:12 +0000https://blog.taitradio.com/?p=6486A new white paper is now available from Tait Communications that continues our exploration of the Digital Oilfield (also referred to as Smart Field, Intelligent Oil Field, or i-Field).

As crude oil prices plummet to new lows, there is a special urgency for oil companies to make changes that will drive down costs and improve productivity. Despite the cost cutting, 2015 surveys report that most oil executives intend to maintain or even increase spending on digital technologies over the next three to five years.

This is because investment in the digital oilfield is a necessity, not a luxury.

]]>https://blog.taitradio.com/2016/01/28/whitepaper-communicating-in-the-digital-oilfield-part-2/feed/0DMR Node Architecture | Tait Radio Academyhttps://blog.taitradio.com/2016/01/26/dmr-node-architecture-tait-radio-academy/
https://blog.taitradio.com/2016/01/26/dmr-node-architecture-tait-radio-academy/#respondTue, 26 Jan 2016 01:43:09 +0000https://blog.taitradio.com/?p=6482How many control nodes are there in a DMR network? Which is the control node in a multi-node network? What is the function of a node?

If you are having trouble answering these questions, it might be time to take a refresher course on the role of nodes in a DMR network.

In a DMR network, there are nodes with two functions, a control node and a switching node. There is only one control node in a network, and in a multi-node network, the lowest numbered node is the control node.

]]>https://blog.taitradio.com/2016/01/26/dmr-node-architecture-tait-radio-academy/feed/0Technology Partners and Customer Success: Omnitronicshttps://blog.taitradio.com/2016/01/21/technology-partners-and-customer-success-omnitronics/
https://blog.taitradio.com/2016/01/21/technology-partners-and-customer-success-omnitronics/#respondWed, 20 Jan 2016 22:54:54 +0000https://blog.taitradio.com/?p=6464Our technology partners add important value to Tait solutions, and we have a formal program to join and integrate with Tait solutions. You can learn more about our technology partner program. In this blog series, we focus on some of our key technology partners and take a look and how these solutions come to life and deliver value for our shared clients.

Omnitronics in the Partner Spotlight

The partnership between Tait and Omnitronics is an excellent example of Australian and New Zealand technology innovation impacting the world. Problem solving and support are key traits of Australians and New Zealanders alike, evident in the customer success stories that we share.

Like Tait, Omnitronics have invested in supporting a number of open standards digital platforms and interfaces including the DMR AIS and P25 DFSI, and have pioneered radio-over-IP solutions. Omnitronics have expanded their console applications to include the valuable GPS data made available by the Tait equipment, and integrates with Advanced Location Services solutions.

Several clients in Hortolandia, Brazil are using the GPS functionality and powerful display filter of the Omnitronics RediTALK console to manage shared access to the same DMR network. By leveraging a shared network service, customers such as Hortolandia Electricity receive much more value for money, with all the benefits of a full featured sophisticated DMR Tier 3 network.

Customers in Perth, Australia also benefit from shared DMR network services provided by Tait Solution Partner Direct Communications. Their customers use GPS data from the Tait DMR equipment, fully integrated into the RediTALK software, to show real time tracking and status of the vehicles. The software can also be used for long term storage of historical data.

Matt McDonough of Direct Communications says, “Omnitronics were fantastic during the integration stage. At short notice they were able to provide the extra effort and engineering assistance to fulfil the customer’s requirements”.Customer-focused customization is a defining characteristic of Omnitronics solutions, helping customers get more value out of their communications systems. The Country Fire Service (CFS) of South Australia were recently provided with a tablet based strike team leader application for use with their Tait P25 equipment. It uses a topographic mapping interface to track and show vehicle location, the fire front, and wind direction.

The customized RediTALK Air application also shows status information such as emergency alerts from radio operators, low water alerts from tankers, records radio voice traffic, and can send text messages to the radios. Omnitronics has worked closely with Tait Solution Partner Tetracom to develop and test this solution with the CFS.

Tait and Omnitronics equipment is found in a variety of industries and applications around the world. The DX-Altus has been deployed successfully with P25 systems in the mining industry with Tait Solution Partner MST/Nixon at BMA Blackwater mine and the Anglo-American Capcoal mine, providing customizable blast and emergency tones through the digital radio systems.Another Tait Solution Partner, Vertel, has specialized in Local Government solutions, deploying Tait P25 and Omnitronics equipment for customers such as Coffs Harbour City Council and Armidale Dumaresq Council (Omnitronics Case Study).

One government customer in Florida, USA relies on their communications for safety and has used the Tait P25 and Omnitronics RediTALK capability to identify and remove users that are inappropriately consuming network resources to ensure communications are open for vital safety calls.

In addition to these successful projects in the American and Oceania regions, Omnitronics have collaborated with Tait on a number of other projects across the globe including Africa, Asia and Europe. “The growing popularity of DMR is accompanied by customers who want to make the best use of the new technology. Omnitronics continue to partner with Tait to deliver full featured dispatch solutions that leverage the full power and capability of digital radio,” said John Florenca, CEO of Omnitronics.

Other posts in this series:

]]>https://blog.taitradio.com/2016/01/21/technology-partners-and-customer-success-omnitronics/feed/0Gippsland Water upgrades comms with Tait DMR Tier 3 systemhttps://blog.taitradio.com/2016/01/19/gippsland-water-upgrades-comms-with-tait-dmr-tier-3-system/
https://blog.taitradio.com/2016/01/19/gippsland-water-upgrades-comms-with-tait-dmr-tier-3-system/#respondMon, 18 Jan 2016 21:54:02 +0000https://blog.taitradio.com/?p=6460With a population of approximately 140,000 people over 5,029 square kilometers, Gippsland Water provides water services to nearly 65,000 properties and wastewater services to around 58,000 properties including the dairy, energy, and pulp and paper industries.

When faced with an upgrade of their 15 year old Tait Communications equipment, they turned to CommSite, their maintenance contractor, to provide them with a solution that would enable them to continue delivering reliable, high-quality water, wastewater and waste recovery services to their domestic and commercial clients.

As their sites were spread in remote locations across a large area in Victoria, improved safety and communications flexibility were at the top of the list of priorities for Gippsland Water. CommSite, being experts in supplying and installing unified critical communications solutions, were able to deliver a system to Gippsland Water which would complement their customer service delivery systems perfectly.

CommSite provided Gippsland Water with a Tait DMR Tier 3 trunking solution with call flexibility, improved worker safety with a built-in GPS tracking system, and long-term value with DMR open-standards technology. Gippsland Water was happy to reinvest in Tait quality.

Gippsland Water also invested in the Crosswire software application from Logic Wireless, which is a vital part of the solution. As well as providing location services, it also provided voice dispatch, call logging, text messaging, voice recording and cross patching.

]]>https://blog.taitradio.com/2016/01/19/gippsland-water-upgrades-comms-with-tait-dmr-tier-3-system/feed/0DMR Site Equipment | Tait Radio Academyhttps://blog.taitradio.com/2016/01/14/dmr-site-equipment-tait-radio-academy/
https://blog.taitradio.com/2016/01/14/dmr-site-equipment-tait-radio-academy/#respondWed, 13 Jan 2016 21:58:50 +0000https://blog.taitradio.com/?p=6449If you have been following our posts on the architecture of a DMR network, you will be beginning to understand the full overview of how the network functions. This time we will be taking a look at the two main architectural types of a DMR Tier 3 network.

The first main type of architecture in a DMR Tier 3 network is a centrally controlled network in which powerful computers are employed to control and switch voice and data packets. The second type is a distributed model where each site in the network has switching and controlling abilities of voice and data between sites.

]]>https://blog.taitradio.com/2016/01/14/dmr-site-equipment-tait-radio-academy/feed/0TaitNet Analog Simulcast over IP – The best migration story in townhttps://blog.taitradio.com/2016/01/12/taitnet-analog-simulcast-over-ip-the-best-migration-story-in-town/
https://blog.taitradio.com/2016/01/12/taitnet-analog-simulcast-over-ip-the-best-migration-story-in-town/#respondMon, 11 Jan 2016 21:22:48 +0000https://blog.taitradio.com/?p=6418Tait has released an exciting new system with TaitNet Analog Simulcast IP (AS-IP).

Labelled as “the best migration path in town”, AS-IP offers an easy upgrade path for customers who want an analog system today, but who may wish to consider a future migration to P25 standards. Customers with existing analog products are able to retain their hardware and related simulcast software, and need only activate additional feature licenses to become fully P25-capable.

Due to TaitNet Analog Simulcast IP’s simple upgrade path and outstanding cost-effectiveness, Bruce Mazza, Vice President of Solutions Marketing at Tait Communications, says, “The IP-connected simulcast system is the most unique system currently on the market today.

“Our Analog Simulcast IP solution offers maximum coverage at the lowest cost for customers using analog networks. It’s the best migration story in town: Customers only have to add new feature licenses to their analog repeaters to take full advantage of our IP-connected system. They can fully reuse all existing Tait hardware and software, and if they ever decide to upgrade to any type of Tait P25 digital network – they’re fully future-proofed.

“Also, by eliminating the traditional and expensive, external box voters and simulcast controllers with integrated software modules, Tait has reduced the rack space needed to 4U total for two complete repeaters with controllers and voters.”

]]>https://blog.taitradio.com/2016/01/12/taitnet-analog-simulcast-over-ip-the-best-migration-story-in-town/feed/0Radio Frequency Performance Parameters – Transmitter Output Powerhttps://blog.taitradio.com/2016/01/07/radio-frequency-performance-parameters-transmitter-output-power/
https://blog.taitradio.com/2016/01/07/radio-frequency-performance-parameters-transmitter-output-power/#respondWed, 06 Jan 2016 22:52:59 +0000https://blog.taitradio.com/?p=6410The Transmitter Output Power is defined as the power produced in to a 50 Ohm load connected at the radio antenna port.

In transmit mode, the Synthesizer produces the desired Tx frequency with the FM modulation (speech or data) super-imposed. This part is called the Exciter. The transmitter then amplifies this signal up to the final power level to be transmitted, after which the signal passes through the Tx/Rx Switch before being filtered to remove any unwanted harmonics. Ideally then, all that is transmitted is the desired signal at the required power level.

A simplified block diagram of a typical Tait Mobile Transmitter is shown below:

Simplified Tait Mobile Radio Transmitter Block Diagram

The transmitter normally consists of three stages of amplification, known as the Pre-Driver, Driver and Final, although each of these stages may contain more than one active device.

The Pre-Driver is the first stage of the transmitter, and this amplifies the Tx Drive signal from the Synthesizer up from +5dBm to around +20dBm (100mW). This is followed by the Driver stage which takes the output from the Pre-Driver and further amplifies it up to a level of around +33dBm (2W). This signal is then passed to the Final, which amplifies the wanted signal up to a level of around +45dBm (32W). Between the Final and the antenna, we have the Tx / Rx Switch and the Harmonic Filter, which between them reduce the RF signal level by around 1dB, so the final transmitted signal level is +44dBm or 25W.

A related parameter you may hear mentioned is Effective Radiated Power (ERP). As opposed to the power produced into a 50 Ohm load connected at the antenna port, this relates to the power actually radiated when the antenna is connected. Effectively, ERP, is the Transmitter Output Power multiplied by the gain or loss of the antenna system.

]]>https://blog.taitradio.com/2016/01/07/radio-frequency-performance-parameters-transmitter-output-power/feed/0DMR Linking Infrastructure | Tait Radio Academyhttps://blog.taitradio.com/2016/01/05/dmr-linking-infrastructure-tait-radio-academy/
https://blog.taitradio.com/2016/01/05/dmr-linking-infrastructure-tait-radio-academy/#commentsMon, 04 Jan 2016 22:32:39 +0000https://blog.taitradio.com/?p=6401Do you know why IP was chosen as the method of moving voice and data? Confused about what IP actually is? The answers to your questions on Linking Infrastructure are a few clicks away.

If you aren’t familiar with the various elements of a DMR network, the IP backbone might be a foreign element to you. The lesson DMR Network Architecture: Linking Infrastructure gives you a clear description of what linking infrastructure is and how it is all interconnected.

]]>https://blog.taitradio.com/2016/01/05/dmr-linking-infrastructure-tait-radio-academy/feed/2Radio Frequency Performance Parameters – Basic Radio Block Diagramhttps://blog.taitradio.com/2015/12/17/radio-frequency-performance-parameters-basic-radio-block-diagram/
https://blog.taitradio.com/2015/12/17/radio-frequency-performance-parameters-basic-radio-block-diagram/#respondWed, 16 Dec 2015 21:56:13 +0000https://blog.taitradio.com/?p=6385Before we get into the detail of each RF performance parameter, this week, let us discuss the parts that make up a typical radio. This is absolutely crucial to understanding the parameters that affect RF performance.

Shown below is a very simplified block diagram of the RF part of a typical Tait FM Mobile or Portable radio. Two commonly used abbreviations are introduced here -Tx (ie: Transmitter), and Rx (ie: Receiver). These abbreviations will be used throughout the remainder of this series.

The heart of the RF section is the Synthesizer. Here, the Crystal Oscillator provides a reference frequency from which the Rx 1st LO, Rx 2nd LO and Tx drive signals are derived. Hence, the Crystal Oscillator basically determines the frequency accuracy and frequency stability performance of the radio. In transmit mode, the Synthesizer produces the desired Tx frequency with the modulation (speech or data) super-imposed. The transmitter then amplifies this signal up to the final power level to be transmitted, after which the signal passes through the Tx/Rx Switch before being filtered to remove any unwanted harmonics. In Receive mode, the Tx/Rx Switch is now set to Rx, and all signals picked up by the antenna are fed to the Receiver Front End. Here all the received signals are amplified and then filtered to begin to center in on the desired signal.

The result is then down converted to the 1st Intermediate Frequency (IF) of a few tens of MHz. Here narrower filtering is applied to begin to select the wanted signal and reject any other signals that happen to have been received. This process repeats in the 2nd IF until we are left with only the wanted signal. This signal is then passed to the Discriminator which extracts the information in the form of voice or data, which (in the case of voice, as shown) would be amplified and fed to the speaker.

Tait designs and manufactures three major types of radio. A typical radio system will feature all the three types.

Portables

Examples are the TP9400, TP9100, TP9300 and the TP8100. Portables are designed to be of a size easily carried by an individual user, are lightweight and are battery operated. They are low cost, have a low current consumption (to maximize battery life), but offer only a moderate level of RF Performance. It is the type of radio that would be carried by an on foot Policeman or a Fire Fighter, so they are designed to be physically very rugged given the variety of environments that could be encountered. On a typical radio network there would typically be many portables operating.

Mobiles

Examples of Mobiles are the TM9400, TM9100, TM9300 and the TM8000. Mobiles are designed for installation in vehicles such as Police Cars and Fire Engines, and thus are designed to bepowered from a car battery. Mobiles offer a higher level of RF performance than Portables. Again, on a typical radio network, there would be many Mobiles operating.

Base Stations

Examples of Tait Base Stations are the TB9400, TB9100, TB9300, TB7300, TB7100 and TB8100. Base Stations are the heart of a radio system. They are installed in fixed locations (usually on top of the highest surrounding hill) and are typically powered from mains or solar cells. Base Stations have to handle many RF signals at once, to and from the various Portables and Mobiles on the system, and as such the RF performance is paramount.

In the coming weeks, we will also show you typical RF parameter values for Tait products.

]]>https://blog.taitradio.com/2015/12/17/radio-frequency-performance-parameters-basic-radio-block-diagram/feed/0DMR Network Overview | Tait Radio Academyhttps://blog.taitradio.com/2015/12/15/dmr-network-overview-tait-radio-academy/
https://blog.taitradio.com/2015/12/15/dmr-network-overview-tait-radio-academy/#respondMon, 14 Dec 2015 22:22:59 +0000https://blog.taitradio.com/?p=6379The ability to identify the key elements of a DMR network and grasp how they work can be daunting. Thankfully, the Radio Academy makes it easy to learn.

The DMR network design in scalable, it can be a single site, or it can be a large wide area network but there are elements that stay the same in all networks. The lesson DMR Network Architecture: Network Overview, lists these elements in a clear and easy-to-understand way. The lesson also includes a diagram of a full DMR solution. By the end of the lesson, you’ll be able to understand how it is all connected.

]]>https://blog.taitradio.com/2015/12/15/dmr-network-overview-tait-radio-academy/feed/0Radio Frequency Performance Parameters – Introductionhttps://blog.taitradio.com/2015/12/10/radio-frequency-performance-parameters-introduction/
https://blog.taitradio.com/2015/12/10/radio-frequency-performance-parameters-introduction/#respondWed, 09 Dec 2015 22:25:29 +0000https://blog.taitradio.com/?p=6358We are starting a new series of posts on the blog under the title – RF Performance Parameters. The purpose of this series is to:

Introduce the deci-Bel, the unit relevant to RF measurements.

Describe the major RF performance parameters that are used to benchmark the performance of both the Transmitter and Receiver sections of a radio.

Compare the various performance levels of a Portable radio, a Mobile radio and a Base Station in terms of these parameters.

Examine how these performance parameters manifest themselves within a radio system, ie: a network containing Base Stations, Mobiles and Portables.

After reading all the posts in this series, you should be able to:

Read the RF Specification sheet for a radio and understand what all the numbers mean.

Compare the RF Specification sheets for a Tait radio and similar products from our competitors and understand the relative advantages / disadvantages of each.

Understand, from the RF performance specifications, the relative advantages / disadvantages of a Tait radio system (ie: a network containing Base Stations, Mobiles and Portables) compared to a radio system offered by one of our competitors.

Introduction

We will start by looking at the deci-Bel, the unit most commonly used to specify the RF performance parameters of a radio. Then, we will describe at a very basic level, the operation of a radio using a simple block diagram. A quick comparison of the three major types of radios designed and manufactured by Tait – Base Stations, Mobiles and Portables – will then be given, outlining the uses and limitations of each. Then we will be at a point to start covering the major RF performance parameters relevant to Transmitters and Receivers we will describe what these mean and give typical performance levels for Base Stations, Mobiles and Portables. For the sake of simplicity, we will consider only analog FM in this series.

Once this is all understood, we will finally examine how these performance parameters manifest themselves within a radio system, i.e. a network containing Base Stations, Mobiles and Portables.